The Queen's Bane
by DaesGatling
Summary: AU: Rumpelstiltskin kept Bae from falling into the portal and has kept him alive for the past 300 years using magic. 300 years after the vortex; Emma, still in hiding after her parents married in secret and spent their lives on the run, seeks him out to help her get her throne back from Regina; who rules all the realms. Swanfire. Note: Char. Tags aren't just for romantic pairings.
1. Chapter 1

When he was mortal, Rumpelstiltskin would've never even considered doing the things he'd done to protect his son and himself for the past eight months.

But now things were different. He had power now. He had the ability to protect what family he had left. The stakes were higher now that he was the Dark One. There would be those that looked to control and exploit him. There would be those that looked to take his place. They might use Bae to do it.

It was self-preservation. It was bloody and it was rough but it had to be done. He hadn't wanted to kill the cart driver but Bae had been injured…how would that look if he let his son get hurt without lifting a finger to protect him? That was how it was before, but it didn't have to be that way now.

He hadn't wanted to kill the mute maid either but she had seen the knife. She could draw for someone what she had seen…willing or not. The Duke had used spies like her to get ahold of the dagger the first time according to what the Dark Being told him…there would be those that would try to get it again.

Bae was angry at him; he was scared of the power. In time, things would change. Bae didn't believe him but he was still young. He didn't understand that power was the only way you picked yourself up from rock bottom. Being good and being honest and harmless…it hadn't helped him at all. Sometimes, one just had to do bad things to get a good result. Example; he murdered the Dark One and unintentionally took the curse to stop the Ogre war. He had murdered the men that came to collect his son to save his son.

But Bae didn't want him to have this power. He didn't see the father that raised him after the pirates killed his mother.

When he made the deal with Bae at the supper table, he had only done so because he didn't believe Bae could find a way to change him back.

But he had and now Rumpelstiltskin was trapped in a deal that he wouldn't be able to wriggle out of without his son knowing. He didn't want to give up this power…there was still so much of the world that needed fixing.

For Bae though…he would do it. He would give up the power if it meant he had his son's respect and admiration.

But to leave home though….to leave home and travel to a land without magic, never to return…

What sort of land operated without magic anyway? And if it didn't have magic…how exactly was a magical portal supposed to open up on the other side?

That was his first belief that it might be a trick. He knew how magic worked. There had to be magic in both places to open a portal. That's how portals worked; it was the most basic rule.

But never the less, the bean that his son threw on the ground opened into a portal in a bright green light.

So either he'd be thrown in some kind of limbo or he'd be transported to a land he didn't understand with no power and he'd be even worse off than he was before since he didn't know the land.

Either way; it was the unknown and it terrified Rumpelstiltskin. For all his power and the centuries of knowledge that this Dark Being had learned over the years, it didn't quite know what he was getting himself into.

"My gods boy," he said as the wind ripped at his hair and clothes, "It's like a tornado."

"We have to go through it," Bae said. He had such faith, even though he had no idea what was waiting for them

The Dark Being that had made him like this screeched in his head. If he jumped through it, the curse would disappear….the thing's life would end. And if it died then Rumpelstiltskin would surely die as well since his life was now intertwined with it. Even if he survived, he would be weak again. Rumpelstiltskin couldn't defend his son in a world where magical beings could have protected Bae. How was he supposed to defend him in another?

"No," he refused in terror, "I don't think I can."

"We must!" Bae pleaded, "It's the only way."

They _could _be happy here though. The bloodlust would cool in time. He would find a cause to use his magic on…he would find a way to make the world better. The Blue Fairy had given Bae this bean…she had always made it clear to the Dark Being that he was not natural to this world and he was not welcome. She had been the one to create the dagger in the fireplace to try and bind him...for she feared he was growing too powerful. She would try to kill the Dark Being this way and she was going to use Rumpelstiltskin's son to do it, "No, no, no, no, it's a trick…it'll tear us apart."

"It's not!" Bae pleaded, "It'll be okay, I promise!"

The earth under their feet collapsed and they both fell. Rumpelstiltskin clutched his son's arm and struggled to keep him from falling into the vortex. The dirt under him was loose…the vortex left a crater around it and he was slipping.

"Papa, we have to go through!" Bae continued to plead but after Rumpelstiltskin saw what this vortex did to the ground under them, he wasn't going to let that happen to his son or himself. He grabbed his knife that he used for safekeeping and slammed it into the ground to anchor them.

"What are you doing?" Bae said with panic in his voice, he knew full well what was happening, "Papa! It won't stay open long, we have to go through."

"I can't," he screamed and let the fear into his voice so that his son would at least hear it and understand.

But Bae didn't, his face and eyes betrayed that, "It's the only way we can be together!"

"I can't!"

Balefire's face twisted in rage, "You _coward!_ You promised! Don't break our deal!"

Rumpelstiltskin was losing his grip on his son. It felt like either he or Bae was going to have their arm ripped out of their second. He knew the pull would get stronger until something went through.

Something went through…

His other hand strained on the hilt of his knife. They said this knife was impossible to destroy without magic. Would it work the same in a land without magic? Would he die if they melted it down or would the link be broken?

The knife wasn't even native to the curse, it'd been created to try and contain and control the Dark Being.

While the knife was strength to him, it was also his greatest weakness.

What would happen if he threw it in the vortex instead? It might kill the Dark Being and it might kill him…it might kill the Dark Being and he would survive…

It was with great reluctance that he ripped the knife from the ground and threw it into the vortex, but he did NOT want to lose his son.

As soon as the powerful knife slid into the vortex, he felt the pull start to lessen and it closed.

He and Bae lay there for what felt like an eternity, Rumpelstiltskin moved to look at his son, "Bae….I'm sorry."

Bae just looked at him in a way that told Rumpelstiltskin how much he broke his son in that moment. Rumpelstiltskin recognized that look; it was the same one Milah had when she learned that he had injured himself because he believed it was more a cowardly act to die in war than forsake everything so he could raise his son.

Baelfire stood up and walked away from him. Rumpelstiltskin ran his hand through his hair…

He was still cursed. He wasn't surprised at that since the knife was given to the duke by the Blue Fairy…

If someone found it over there, and it was powerless and destroyed then he might die…but he wasn't sure.

He went back to the house that night and dozed in his bed. He told himself that Bae would forgive him. He always did.

But in the morning, Rumpelstiltskin got out of bed, dressed, went to wake his son…

And found that Baelfire had taken his clothes and some food and was now gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**300 Years Later **

They had many names or the girl that stood in front of Rumpelstiltskin in his entrance hall. They called her The Swan; they called her…the Queen's Bane like they called her mother before her. They called her the Lost Princess….those who believed Snow White to be dead called her the Queen.

"Emma," Rumpelstiltskin practically purred as he circled her, "What a lovely name."

She couldn't be more than sixteen or seventeen at most, but her eyes were older; there was exhaustion in those eyes. As if she was already tired of the world she found herself in. If that didn't indicate how burdened she was, her sloping shoulders certainly did. It wasn't the kind of tiredness like others had….that temporary fatigue due to them riding long distances…this was different. More permanent.

She cleaned up to see him. She must've stopped at the Inn down the mountain to rest, bathe and get ready to present herself. She wore a white dress with a bright red cloak and even that couldn't hide how underfed she was. Her blonde hair was washed and combed and now fell in curls down her back. The way she fidgeted, while he looked her over, he could tell she wasn't used to dressing up like this.

However, the minute he talked to her, she became very still and stared at him right in the eyes, "Thanks."

Most people hid their eyes when he was in the room. They thought he could steal their souls with just a glance. As if people needed him to take their souls when they practically gave them away to him for a pittance.

Remembering his place as a host, he summoned a table full of food, "May I interest you in some supper?"

Emma's eyes went longingly to the food that'd been presented. She gave a swallow and looked back at him, "No thank you."

"Oh dearie, don't tell me I waved my hand for nothing! Oh you don't think that this food is going to somehow contractually bind you to stay dearie. We aren't in that world dearie. Eating a pomegranate won't force you to stay when you want to go."

Emma still didn't move from her place but her eyes wondered to the food again, "I'll only eat after we've talked."

Ah yes, her mother and father never ate with enemies, which probably meant she adapted the same line of thinking, "What can I do for you, little one?"

Emma straightened, "I need your help….to get the throne back."

And there it was, "You are aware that this isn't the first time I've heard someone ask this."

"I know," Emma said

"I certainly heard it a lot Cora was defeating family after family to take over most of the world; would you like to know how many families she slaughtered?"

"Seventeen," Emma said.

"Seventeen!" he confirmed, "And each family sent someone to come find me and I refused to get involved in their little squabble, so what makes you different?"

Emma shrugged, "Our family is the only one that's still alive?"

Rumpelstiltskin stared at her for a second before he burst into laughter, "Quite the spirit, dearie

Emma gave a half smile, "Thank you."

"But me helping you just because you're lucky enough to be alive isn't enough. As much of an admirer as I am of chaos to liven things up, I really got bored of the last war. I'm not really looking forward to you throwing everyone headlong into another one. Especially if you have no idea what you're doing."

"And that's why I need you."

"Where are your parents, Emma? They had the right idea. Perhaps it would be better if you settled down in a village and gave a content life for yourself. I hear lost princesses can usually find a good husband."

"And what sort of life would that be?" she challenged, "Living on the run."

"I'm not a real big advocator of war, dearie, you're far too young to play with people's lives and you will get them killed."

"People will die anyway," Emma retorted, "That's why I'm doing this."

"As noble as that is, you're not going to help them by putting a target on their backs," he advised. He saw the defiance in her eyes, "As sad as I am to crush those dreams in your head…those 17 families had a lot more potential than you do as did the six other families that Regina defeated when she finished her mother's work. What can you offer me?"

If Emma was hurt by him crushing everything she wanted, she didn't show it, "What do you want?"

He glanced her over. He could sense that she was powerful…She was the product of several generations of true loves. She was brimming with untapped potential; he could sense it before she even made it to the gate. It was the only reason he hadn't turned her away, other than she had his curiosity

Well, Rumpelstiltskin supposed he could humor her. He couldn't very well send her back to her parents, he heard they'd been separated and thanks to a spell caused by the Blue Fairy, they couldn't be found by magical means.

"Very well, but only because I do like your spirit…..I have a son," he started, "For quite the few centuries, he and I haven't been on the best of talking terms."

"I'm sorry," she said simply.

"Get him to talk to me," Rumpelstiltskin said, "And I will give you the help you desire."

Emma blinked, "That's it?"

"Oh dearie," he gave her a sad mocking laugh, "I just gave you a very impossible job."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000

**73 Days Later **

If this endeavor was successful, Emma wasn't sure she could pull off wearing a dress every day. She had barely been able to breathe when she stood in front of Rumpelstiltskin…all those undergarments and laces…

Breathing was a chore, moving was a chore. Emma never got used to it.

The brown leather pants, blue tunic and brown jerkin she usually wore were far more comfortable and allowed her the best range of movement. If she got this throne, she would be more than happy wearing that till the end of her days.

Emma wasn't an idiot. She knew that getting the throne would only be half the battle. Keeping it was the real challenge. There would be those that thought they could do better than she could…Regina would have loyal followers that would want her dead…

She wanted it for several reasons; first, people were dying. Regina had finished conquering the rest of the Enchanted Forest and now she was bored. She spent her time killing people in horrendous ways if the rumors were to be believed.

It was Regina. Emma believed the rumors.

Another reason was for her parents…wherever they were. They had been meant to fight in the war. However, her mother had gotten pregnant with her. Neither her mother nor her father wanted to risk getting killed and have her grow up with just one or neither of them so they pulled out and went into hiding. They didn't want her exposed to the war and the plotting. It was a nice idea, but it hadn't lasted. Regina and George (while he was alive) were nothing if not zealous in their need to see her father and mother humiliated and dead

Besides, their armies had been too small anyway. They had no hope of winning.

That's what her father said at least. Emma heard Grumpy say once that her parents were excellent strategists and they might've had a chance. But the risk was too great.

Emma sort of blamed herself after that. Like…if she hadn't been born then things might've been different.

Emma wanted her parents and their allies to go to sleep at night without the fear of waking up to Regina's assassins standing over their bed.

Emma felt her heart clench as she thought about her parents on the ride to the village. It'd been a year since she'd seen either of them. She didn't even know if they were alive. They didn't know if she was alive and that made it worse. She went to sleep many nights for that past year just imagining their grief. She'd been an only child. The stress of what Regina put them through every day made her mother go into several miscarriages growing up. It was another thing Emma hated Regina for.

And finally, the last part was selfish. Emma her birthright back. She could've been a princess, safe and secure in a castle….or as safe and secure as castles usually were…with her parents there and a number of siblings. She wanted to sleep in a feather bed and take a hot bath every night if she wanted to. She didn't want to know what hunger or exhaustion felt like. She wanted to ride without the fear of someone seeing her who knew her face. She wanted to be _safe_

But that didn't happen and now here she was with several names given to her that she hadn't earned yet and no one knew for sure if she was still alive.

That would change….if she could get this…Baelfire to talk to Rumpelstiltskin.

Rumpelstiltskin had told her much about where to find Baelfire. He told her to look in the southwest. He wasn't going to make this easy for her; she was going to have to earn his cooperation.

So Emma rode southwest and she went to every major village she could find. Looking at all the smaller ones would be endless. Those that lived in the smaller villages often came to the market in the larger ones to buy and sell. It would be easier to ask around there. It wouldn't be too hard. Anyone would notice the name _Baelfire_ since the name was so old.

Finally, she had been told where to find him thanks to a spinner with a liking for silver coins (highway robbery) and she arrived the next day.

She walked into the tavern/inn and asked the barkeeper where she could find Baelfire.

"Over there," the barkeeper nodded.

Emma looked to a corner, expecting to see something twisted and inhuman like the father before him. She hadn't looked around when she entered the room, perhaps she missed it.

It was a bit of a shock to see him. She didn't expect him to look so normal….so young…

She watched Baelfire take a drink of…whatever it was that he was having. There were others in the room that were with friends…he was the only one alone, "That's him?"

"Indeed."

She looked back; this wasn't Rumpelstiltskin's son, it couldn't be!

"Um…" she threw a copper on the bar, "Two ale's please."

"Oh lass, he wouldn't make good company," the man told her, "As odd as it'll be to hear it, he's grieving."

"For what?"

"Just looking at him, you wouldn't know but he just buried his last surviving grandson last year," the man said, "It's the anniversary today."


	3. Chapter 3

**291 Years Ago**

The creak of the bed woke Baelfire before the sun hit the small window of the cabin. With a sigh, he realized he wouldn't have time to go back to sleep for a quick shut eye before he had to get up. It was harvest time and they were barely halfway done.

Soon he wouldn't be reluctant to get out of bed because he was sore and exhausted, he'd be reluctant to get out of bed because it was cold and the fire had died during the night.

Winter was coming on fast this year. He didn't know how he knew but he just…knew. It was going to be a harsh one this year….which made the warm house all the more inviting.

Baelfire looked over at his sleeping wife. Morraine liked to tease him that he married an old woman just because she was three days older than him. He didn't care. He loved her. He had loved her since she sat beside him after his father turned and told him how he could solve it. His father was killing people left and right and for all she knew…she was risking her life to help him.

There was another lump in the bed. He knew who it as before he pulled back the covers to check. Dyllyan, his two year old son had found the bed last night…he was probably scared of the dark. One look at his puppy eyes and the boy's mother probably caved. Baelfire wished he could tell his son that nothing could get him in the dark…just like his father had once when Baelfire was young. But Baelfire couldn't do that because both he and Morraine had seen what was in the dark before and they couldn't lie to their children by giving them false hopes.

Dyllyan opened his eyes at the disturbance and gave his father an energetic smile, "Papa!"

"Sh," he put a finger to his lips, "Don't wake your mother!"

Dyllyan scrambled up onto his father's belly and gave a small bounce, "I'm hungry."

"Well let's get something then," he pulled his blanket back, scooped his son up and stood. On the way out he checked the cradle to make sure his newborn son was alright.

He wasn't in the cradle. Baelfire turned to check and saw the newborn sleeping next to Morraine.

He hoped it wasn't another rough night. The child was three months early and he had just barely pulled through. The midwife told him that the baby was through the worst of it but Baelfire still had his doubts. He and Morraine prayed as hard as they could though…if something happened to the baby it would devastate both of them. It had been such a rough pregnancy and birth for his wife, it terrified him to think that after all their attempts to keep him alive, the baby might pass.

If the baby didn't start growing stronger, he was considering doing something they all knew they'd regret. He would seek out his father if he had to. It'd been nine years since he saw him last. He'd been fourteen at the time and the vortex had failed. Baelfire wasn't sure what hurt worse that night. His father breaking his deal or not coming to find him when he left. From what Morraine told him, his father hadn't even tried.

Maybe it was cowardly on his part to run. He would admit that possibility but he…couldn't watch anymore. Once his father would listen to him and give mercy to his victims but that had changed…and Baelfire didn't see the point of his being there if Rumpelstiltskin hurt people to 'protect him'.

Like his father needed a reason. Morraine told him all sorts of things that his father had done after he left. It filled him with shame that he was the reason his father went on the warpath. It seemed that he couldn't win no matter what he did.

He slipped through the heavy curtain that separated his and Morraine's bed from the rest of the house.

His five year old daughter was still cuddled in the bed that Bae had built for her and her younger brother to sleep in. He glanced at her and put Dyllyan down so he could build a fire, "Gretchyn, time to get up or it's the 'ice down the back' treatment. "

He wouldn't really, but she didn't know that. She was impossible to get out of bed otherwise.

She gave a small groan and threw the heavy quilt back. When the fire was roaring, he crossed over and gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead. She was in school now…gods how did the time pass so quickly?

He pulled her curtain closed so that she could get dressed. His son reached up for him, eager for his attention again. Baelfire lifted him up on his back and went about preparing breakfast.

Morraine came out a little while later; she was wearing a light blue housedress.

"You look pretty," he smiled.

"I seem to remember the last two times you said that, one thing led to another and I ended up pregnant both times."

"Good morning," he told her and gave her a small kiss.

"Good morning," she whispered back. She kissed her son and daughter in greeting as well.

"Rough night?" he asked in concern.

"Yes, a little."

He felt guilty, "You should've awakened me."

"There was no reason for both of us to be awake; you had to work in the fields today."

"And you have these little ones to deal with," he ruffled his daughter's thick dark hair affectionately; "I believe you have the hardest job."

"Yes indeed, my darling, but I'm more than capable of handling it," she slid into the chair next to him.

They ate quickly; both he and Morraine were running late.

Someone knocked at the door. Baelfire gave a quick confused look and wiped his mouth with a kerchief, "I didn't know we were expecting company.

"We're not," Morraine told him.

Baelfire stood and went to the door to answer.

He felt his heart freeze in his chest when he saw that familiar face. That…disfigured familiar face that still haunted his nightmares.

"Hello Bae," his father said. Baelfire saw the apprehension in his eyes. He was practically wringing his hands. If he didn't know any better, he'd say his father was almost nervous.

Baelfire felt every muscle in his body tense. Not here. Not in front of his kids….

Morraine came up behind him to see who at the door. Baelfire immediately put his hand in front of his wife to keep her from going any further. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was. He felt her move backwards.

"Morraine," Rumpelstiltskin said in a faux warm voice, "How lovely to see you."

"Sir," Morraine greeted. He could hear the tension in her voice as well.

"Aren't you even going to invite me in?" He asked.

"No," Baelfire said quietly. If he was by himself he might, but his children and wife were here.

"Bae," Morraine whispered.

"No!" he said a little more harshly than he intended. He looked back at his father, "I've heard all about the things you've been doing. Do you really think that I'd let you near my family if you kept doing what you've done?"

He had expected his father to excuse what he did, but he did not defend himself, "It's been nine years."

"I know," Baelfire said. He felt his anger bleeding out of him now that his wife was beside him, "What do you want?"

"I heard about your baby."

Baelfire scoffed, "Which spy told you that?"

"Baelfire," Rumpelstiltskin started.

"I know…that you have people watching me," he said, "And if you're going to use my son to wriggle your way into talking to me again then you can forget it."

"I could heal him."

His wife grabbed his hand, Baelfire clenched her hand in his but didn't back down, "No."

"He's frail and weak," Rumpelstiltskin told him, "This world isn't made for frail weak men, I think we both know that."

Baelfire forced the bile rising in his throat down. Was he really going to use their past to guilt Bae if he couldn't use Bae's son?"

"It's a harsh winter that's coming," Rumpelstiltskin warned him, "He might not survive."

Morraine gasped and Baelfire nearly slammed the door in his face for scaring his wife but there was truth to what his father said. It was hard enough to get a baby to survive a normal winter. How was his premature baby supposed to survive a harsh one?

"And what would be the price for saving my son?" Baelfire demanded, "I know there would be a price…its how you operate now, isn't it? You don't take anything anymore, you just manipulate for it."

"Yes well," Rumpelstiltskin cleared his throat, "There is something that I would ask."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0

**Present Day **

Baelfire was over 300 years old. And in that time he had married three women, had 24 children and about 85 grandchildren. He lost count of the great grandchildren and so forth. They had taken spouses of their own…spread across the world. Some even went to _other _worlds to start families of their own. Apparently portal jumpers offered young people a chance to settle down elsewhere for a price of course.

Always a price….always consequences….

Baelfire never regretted what he had done to save his son. It was just hard to live with sometimes. He had watched…all his loved ones grow old and die and time never touched him. Had it been worth it? It had in his eyes, his son grew up into a happy healthy boy who ended up marrying into nobility for love and he brokered peace between several countries. Baelfire had been so proud of him. His work showed even to this day.

But the decision had been hard to make then and it was hard to live with now.

His last grandchild died a year ago today. His great grandchildren were all over the world with lives of their own and they wouldn't even know him.

He was alone.

He nursed his drink in the corner of the tavern. The people in the village knew that here was something...enchanted about him…as he never aged. They didn't shun him for it though…as some realms would have. They seemed to understand his life, while full of happy moments that he would always remember, was full of dark periods as well and his longevity was not a blessing to be envious of.

He had noticed the girl come into the tavern but he thought nothing of her. The village was still small but merchants came and traded her all the time. A new face was hardly something to talk about.

And then she came towards him with two pints in her hand

Oh gods.

"Hello," she greeted. She placed the pint in front of him and sat across the table with her own drink.

Baelfire wasn't in the mood for this, "I'm not looking to court a lady right now."

The girl smiled wryly, "Being courted isn't exactly what I'm looking for."

He sighed, he _really _wasn't t=in the mood for this, "I'm not looking for a bedmate."

"Never crossed my mind."

Baelfire studied her and took a sip of the pint she bought. He narrowed his eyes in concentration. She wouldn't want money. The clothes she wore weren't exactly 'wealthy clothes' but they weren't rags either; "My land isn't for sell."

"You can keep it," she told him simply.

That usually left one thing then, he realized with a groan, "_He _sent you."

"If you mean the imp in the castle, then yes he did," the girl told him, "He wants to talk to you."

Baelfire was reluctant to reveal that Rumpelstiltskin was his father. He wasn't sure if she knew. No one alive knew that anymore, so he kept that card close to his chest, "Well, I hope you weren't promised something big because you're about to be terribly disappointed."

She just watched him, she gave a small smile and took a sip of her drink….she tensed and nearly spit it back out but managed to recover before anyone noticed, "I spent a good amount of money and far too many hours than necessary on the back of a horse to find you just to be told no."

"I could say it in several other languages or several different variations if you think that'll make it worth your while," he narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. She sort of looked familiar but he couldn't place her, "But I will not negotiate with that man. Not anymore. Every time I do it does not end well. You're lucky he didn't request more from you than just getting me to speak to you, you don't want to be in his debt."

"I might not have any other choice," she told him.

"Everyone has a choice," he said and tilted his head, "Who are you, anyway? I don't think I caught your name?"

Her eyes widened briefly and the blood drained from her face. She fiddled with the pint and stared down at it, as if she was contemplating something.

"Don't worry," Baelfire told her with a slight teasing smile, "You get used to the taste."

The girl sighed and reached into a bag she carried with her. She handed him a crumpled paper. He opened the paper and spread his palms over on it and stared at it.

Snow White's picture was before him. He recognized it because the Queen covered the world in those papers since she assumed power, "I'm not following."

"That's my mother," she told him.

Oh! Now he saw it! "You have your mother's chin."

"Thank you, everyone says that," she muttered and gave a slight blush.

"You're the Swan?" he looked up at her. He wondered why they called her that.

"That's what they say," she muttered

"Then I suppose I can guess as to why you're here."

Emma…he believed that to be her real name, steadied her gaze, "I want to take the kingdom back."

"Task easier said than done."

"That was what your father was supposed to be for," she told him.

"Trust me, Swan. You don't want to be in his debt. If he gets you in his debt then he practically controls you and that means he can use your kingdom for whatever he sees fit," Baelfire finished his pint, "That is _never _for anyone's benefit."

"You want to know what else isn't for anyone's benefit? Sitting here hiding while Regina massacres countless people."

He shrugged, "Bad rulers rise and fall all the time, I can't interfere in them all."

"You can interfere in this one," Emma told him and grabbed his sleeve, "She's a sorceress….she's keeping herself young…age won't take her like it did those other rulers and if we don't stop it now, then we might not ever stop it."

Baelfire sighed, "Emma, when I was 23, my father told me that he would heal my premature son in exchange for me basically become immortal so that he wouldn't be alone and he could make up for the atrocities he was doing. You take the throne by my father's hand then you're setting your people up for even more pain because my father did not stop hurting people when I took that potion. I've seen everyone I care about grow old and die countless times and nothing happened to me. I could beg my father to lift the spell keeping me this age but…it won't happen. He won't do it because he thinks that whatever….relationship we have now or will have is better than nothing. IN a moment of desperation…to connect…he used my son to do so. I cannot allow him to do something like that again. I won't put myself up for it. If you want to take your kingdom back then you're going to have to do it the hard way. I'm sorry."

The crushing disappointment made him feel guilty and she closed her eyes tightly and hung her head, "I understand."

"I'm sorry," he really felt bad now, "I wish I could help you but to put myself back in the manipulations of my father? I can't…and I'm doing you a favor too."

He stood to leave and saw it was getting dark. She wouldn't be safe on these roads at night, "How far have you ridden?"

"From your father's castle."

"And before then?"

"From the 12 Lakes."

He drew in a short intake of breath, "Very long way."

"Yes."

He thought it over, "I'll tell you what I'll do. There's an extra bed in my house…if you wish you may put your horse in the town stables and rest there before travelling back. Perhaps we can find a way for you to gain back your kingdom through other means."

She tensed, "No, that's okay."

"I feel guilty," he told her honestly, "That I cannot help you. At least allow me to make it up to you by giving you an actual bed to sleep in. And it's far more comfortable than the tavern beds, I'll tell you that"

Emma looked as if she was considering it, "Nothing will…happen."

"Nothing will happen," he promised. He wondered how many others had offered with a price attached, "I didn't expect it."

She mulled it over for a few seconds and reluctantly stood.

"What?" he teased, "Not going to finish your drink?"


	4. Chapter 4

**291 Years Ago**

It was not an impossible decision for Baelfire. Actually, it was pretty easy to make…but it was a difficult decision to consider.

Baelfire had thought that Rumpelstiltskin would want them to return with him….he thought that maybe Rumpelstiltskin would want him to pack up his family and go to the castle or the cave or wherever it was that his father lived. Everyone had a different story.

But he didn't. The solution was simple. Baelfire would have to become ageless. It would destroy his father apparently…to eventually see the son that he tried so hard to protect die eventually….leaving him alone to deal with the sacrifice he had to take on to keep Baelfire alive in the first place

However, everyone died, that was just the natural order. One day, even Rumpelstiltskin would die. Now, whether or not he was suicidal for that like Zoso had been, that remained to be seen.

When the offer was given, Baelfire knew immediately what would happen. He would see the ones he loved grow old and die. He would see kingdoms rise and fall. He would see countless wars. There would be those that noticed he was untouched by time and would hate him and want to destroy him when they learned how he got to be that way. He would grow tired, and he would grow bitter and the Bae that Morraine fell in love with…and the father that he wanted to be for his children would be gone.

What if he went insane?

His father had also offered to make sure the fields were fertile for as long as Bae stayed alive so that he might be able to feed his family. It was rough to even consider that. Baelfire had his pride and to accept help from his father was almost unthinkable.

But he knew that he would….so his family didn't have to suffer. It was always a toss-up on whether or not they would have good crops….that was the luck of farming.

He looked at his wife as they sat outside on the one of the benches while their oldest two tumbled about on the grass, "I think I'm going to ask him to give the entire town fertile farming ground."

Morraine sat beside him and nursed their youngest, "Do you think he will?"

"I think I'd ask him to give the entire world fertile farming ground but I don't suspect I'll be that fortunate to get his agreement."

Morraine studied him with concern in her eyes, "So, you're going to take him up on his offer, then?"

Baelfire looked at his son and felt the paternal love and need to protect his boy no matter what wash over him every time he looked at the boy's brown eyes, "I have no choice."

"You'll be alone."

"I will be," he confirmed, "But maybe these little ones will give me enough grandchildren. Maybe it won't be so bad."

Morraine seemed to realize the price of the life he was undertaking and she took his hand, "I could ask him to give me the potion too."

He heard the hesitancy in her voice; he knew that she wouldn't like that. She would grow to hate it as much as he would and she might grow to hate him. It would be difficult, he imagined. To look forward to years of birthing the Dark One's grandchildren just to see them eventually die

"No, I couldn't ask you to do that," he whispered. He loved her far too much to ask his father to make her literally spend eternity with him so he wouldn't risk being lonely.

Morraine looked up with a start, "Gretchyn! Let go of your brother this instant!"

Bae smiled slightly as he saw his daughter was trying to put a headlock on her brother as they wrestled around. That was his girl.

He stood and strode over to his children. With ease, he lifted Gretchyn off her brother. Dyllyan, who didn't seem bothered by his sister's strength, automatically reached up to be carried as well.

Baelfire swung Gretchyn over so that she could hang off his back and he lifted his son as well, "You're both getting too big for this. You may've been able to crawl all over me once, but one day you're going to be so big that your poor papa is going to fall in the dirt."

"No you won't, papa!" Gretchyn protested.

"And what happens when your brother is old enough to hang from me too? What are you going to do then?"

"You can carry all of us!" Gretchyn said firmly.

"I see," he said with a small smile. One day they would be adults…and then one day they would be old and he wouldn't be able to age with them. He would still be this age.

And a part of him grew angrier at his father for forcing him to take his sacrifice just to save his son

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000

Rumpelstiltskin came later that evening to see them. Baelfire looked back at his children to see if they would be scared of the man but they barely glanced at him and then went back to their duties. Gretchyn was helping her mother with dinner and Dyllyan was playing with a straw horse his father made for him.

Morraine came to stand beside Bae. She kept her gaze on the deformed imp and showed no hint of fear but her hands trembled slightly next to his. He doubted she would show fear normally but Rumpelstiltskin was now standing in front of their children…and she was protective of them and what they saw as Bae was.

After all, the Dark One had a notorious temper

But as soon as Rumpelstiltskin swept in, he was cordial, he gave a small bow with his arms outstretched to Morraine and kissed the back of her hand. IT was a wonder she didn't pull away but she kept an inexpressive face.

"Morraine, you certainly grew into a lovely thing," he told her, "It warms my heart that you married my son despite the family you risked marrying into."

"Thank you," she whispered, "But with all due…respect sir, I never even considered you and…your reputation when I fell in love with and married Baelfire."

"All the better," Rumpelstiltskin said.

Morraine remembered her hosting duties and moved toward their children. She put her hand on her daughter's back as Gretchyn chopped vegetables, "This is Gretchyn."

The girl barely looked up; she had her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Morraine rested her hand on her son's head, "This is Dyllyan."

"And the other son?"

Baelfire looked at his father, "We haven't named him yet. We weren't sure if he would- you know."

"Well son, that's what I'm here for," he flourished his hand and a small vial appeared…just enough to drink one."

Baelfire didn't accept it at first, "I'd like to ask you to also make the villagers lands fertile as well."

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, "Easily done?"

Baelfire accepted the vial, the black liquid sloshed inside, "Am I to drink it in front of you?"

"No son, I trust you. You're an _honorable _man," Rumpelstiltskin said, "May I at least see the boy before I go?"

Baelfire went to pick up his son out of the cradle and brought him to his father. Rumpelstiltskin just looked at him, "He's a lovely boy."

He placed his hand on the child's face. Baelfire wasn't sure how he knew…but he felt that in that instant…his father had healed his son.

"Thank you," Baelfire whispered. He couldn't give his father a lot of things…his father didn't deserve a lot of things with what he had done…but he could give him his gratitude.

Morraine seemed more relaxed now that she saw Rumpelstiltskin was trying to his best to be a gentleman, "Would you like to stay for dinner? We're having a small dinner tonight, but you're welcome to stay."

"No thank you dearie," Rumpelstiltskin said but he looked touched at the offer, "I would just make things awkward…besides, I really have to go."

He disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Baelfire drew in a breath and handed his son over to the child's mother, the boy gave a small fuss but didn't cry.

Baelfire looked at the small vial.

"That's it?"

Baelfire nodded, "It is."

Morraine took a small swallow and looked down at her son, "He did it…."

"Yes," Baelfire uncorked the small vial. It was now or never, he didn't want to risk being a coward and breaking the deal with his father at the expense of his boy. It made sense he supposed. Rumpelstiltskin gave his mortality to save his son, he expected Baelfire to do the same.

He expelled a small breath of air and he drank from the vial.

It tasted like water…

Morraine waited.

"I don't….," he looked at his wife, "Feel different."

"Maybe it was a test," she suggested.

But the next day, when Baelfire got up to start the harvest for the day, he saw that his field was blooming far greater than it had ever bloomed before.

And he knew that now…he was immortal.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000

**Present Day**

Baelfire had never had a princess in his house before. And despite him being much older and wiser, he still sort of felt a bit awkward when she came in after him and saw some of the mess, "Sorry."

"No need to apologize," she told him.

He walked to the dining room and pulled off a cloth to how her a fresh loaf of bread, "Are you hungry?"

"A bit."

"You can eat what you want," he told her, she looked half starved, "I can bake more.'

She reluctantly tore off a chunk of bread and put it in her mouth. And then as soon as she swallowed it, she ripped a bigger part off and stuffed it in her mouth.

"When was the last time you ate?" he asked.

Emma shrugged, "Last time I killed a rabbit."

"Didn't my father offer you anything?"

"He did. I didn't take it," she looked up, "It took everything I had to trust him enough to ask for help. I didn't trust him beyond that. I couldn't trust him beyond that."

Baelfire sat on the bench next to her and poured some watered down wine. Emma accepted it and took a large drink. Most did that when they tried the ale for the first time at the tavern, "So, what's your strategy…on how you're going to defeat this queen?"

"I'm going to gather an army," she told him, "Quickly and quietly. Winter will be here in a few months, and that means that trading will be more of a demand since most cities have shortages in some things and excess in others. I'm going to cut off supply routes…rob the ones that hold weapons and supplies…leave enough for the people to survive on."

"It'd be better if you starved them out," he told her.

"Most of the people in those villages are innocent," she said, "And my father tried that once….and Regina's troops held the fort until supplies ran completely low. And so they started killing those innocent people to make a statement."

"Innocent people are going to get hurt no matter what you do," Baelfire pointed it out to her, "If you're going to be a leader, you're going to have to make those decisions."

The princess was quiet, "I know…but I'd rather not until I have no other choice. Besides, starving out villages wouldn't exactly warm people up to me. So I'll let a small trickle of food get in…enough to feed them and I'll get rid of her troops and I'll win over the major towns, one by one."

"What about her navy?"

Emma shrugged, "Ships burn."

"Baelfire raised his eyebrows, he was tempted to tell her that that her plan was a task easier said than done…but she seemed to realize that. She was just giving him the basics of her plan.

"What happens if the queen uses her magic to come find and kill you? Or turns your army into a bunch of rats?"

Emma furrowed her eyebrows, "I'm still working on it."

"That's comforting."

"Well, I had a pretty good plan but now I have to figure out something else, now,"

She told him quietly. There wasn't any anger or judgment in her voice; she seemed to understand why he was reluctant to speak to his father.

"Don't you have anyone that can help you for this?"

"I do," she said, "My second in command, Red, is waiting for me.

Baelfire raised his eyebrows, "Is that her name?"

"No, that's just what we call her…it's…a _really _long story," the princess looked down, "I should be getting back to them tomorrow."

"I see," he muttered and stood, "I can escort you if you like."

"Maybe," Emma told him, "I wouldn't want you to be taken away from your work."

"You won't," he told her, "Wherever you're going, I imagine I'll know a shortcut. 300 years of exploring leaves you with a lot of time."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

**14 years ago **

Everything that Emma's mother and father had in the world could be fit in the carriage that they owned. Emma was nestled in the back of the carriage, sleeping under several blankets and furs to ward off the winter chill.

Her mother told her that they were going to the warmer part of the world because it was too cold here.

Something hit Emma's face and she looked up to see that it was snowing

Her father was whistling as the carriage moved. Emma sat up to tell her parents about the snowflakes falling around them because they OBVIOUSLY weren't seeing them.

"Charming," her mother whispered and wrapped the cloak around herself, "You'll wake up Emma."

"We can't have that," her dad told her mom playfully and kissed her neck.

"Behave," her mother giggled and smacked him.

"I don't want to."

"We have a long way to go," her mother said, "And I can't have you acting like a brat."

"You love it when I act like that," he argued and kissed her cheek

Emma propped her head up on her hands and watched her parents interact. She had never seen them this relaxed…this happy….

They were never happy when they had to move again.

Emma wondered if maybe this time they would stay at the place where they were going

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

**Present Day **

The fire in the hut warmed the room and made Emma feel drowsy but she still lay there in the bed opposite the room and tried to remember every detail she could.

That was her first memory…..of her parents being happy. She remembered being angry that they moved so much but she couldn't remember the actual moving.

As a small child they tried to hide their fugitive status from her. They told her they moved because it would be cooler in the summer. They told her they moved because their destination would be warmer in the winter. They told her that there were droughts and they had to move on. It wasn't until later that Emma caught on to what was happening.

Some little girls dreamed about being a lost princess. Emma actually was one and that title came with far more sacrifice than benefits.

She closed her eyes and imagined her parent's faces. They could be dead for all she knew….she might never see them again.

They were all she had…and if they were dead then she would be alone. Sure she had Red…but Red was not her mother

The tears sprang in her eyes as she thought about the status of her parents. Sometime during crying for them, she fell into a fitful sleep.

And then was awakened to the sound of someone pounding on the door.

"Open up in the name of the Queen!"


	5. Chapter 5

**288 Years Ago**

Against Bae's secret wishes, they named their son Rumpelstiltskin. Morraine did it because she wanted to broker peace between the estranged father and son. Baelfire wasn't sure how that would ever happen but he admired his wife's attempts to try and get her family and extended family in order.

Baelfire balanced his youngest son on his shoulders and held onto his arms while he raced around the yard. Little Rumpelstiltskin was cackling in excitement as Baelfire easily dodged Gretchyn and Dyllyan's attempts to catch him. The game was simple really; whichever child grabbed him, got a ride on his back for the next round.

He wasn't quite sure how much longer he could play this game with his eldest though. She was eight and growing. They said that she was the top of her class and Dyllyan was working his way up to match her. Baelfire felt pride. Finally, the world was focusing on intellectual strength instead of physical. Maybe if they kept doing so, then things like the Ogre wars wouldn't happen anymore.

Baelfire prayed every night that his children would not grow up with the same fears that he had as a child.

For now, his children were relatively care-free; with food on the table and safety due to no wars…they didn't know pain like he did. He was so thankful for that.

Gretchyn raced in front of him and he stopped so he didn't trip over his daughter. Dyllyan ran up and grabbed his father's knee, "Caught you, papa!"

"Oh no!" He lifted little Rumpelstiltskin down and lifted Dyllyan on his back, "Not again."

He raced around the yard again. Gretchyn chased him but made sure to keep her youngest brother from being trampled. She was old enough to know that her brother was weak when he was born…but even when he was healed, she was quite protective of him.

"Bae!"

He looked over when he heard his wife's voice. Both children on the ground immediately crashed into his legs.

"Easy," he put Dyllyan down and smiled as his wife came around the house with a soldier following. He felt his heart leap on his throat at the familiar uniform. He used to see them all the time as a child…he had always been terrified that they'd take his father back into the war.

Surely there wouldn't be another one….he would've heard rumors.

"Mayor," the man greeted.

"Sir," Baelfire greeted and rested his hand on Gretchen and Dyllyan's heads as his children crowded around him, "Can I help you?"

"I'm just here to warn you, mayor."

"Warn me of what?"

"There are…a group of looters riding through. We've been trying to capture them but they may be on their way here. They've been…murdering men women and children and burning everything down. We're doing our best to warn everyone in the area."

"Well," Baelfire said, "Thank you for your time."

"Would you like something to drink," Morraine said. Bae looked at her and sensed her unease. Whatever she'd seen in the trenches…she never talked about her three days in the war much. Baelfire never pushed her to tell him. When she saw a soldier, she tensed. Sometimes she didn't sleep and when she did, she had nightmares. If it was that bad 3 days in, what would it have been like if his father never stopped it?

"Thank you, my lady. I would appreciate it," he moved to go inside.

Baelfire grabbed his wife's hand, "You'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine," she gave him a small smile, "Nothing to worry about."

"Alright," he told her. He gave her a kiss and then playfully kissed her swollen belly, "Third son?"

"Daughter," Morraine said sharply, "We have two sons already. I want another girl."

"Well," he playfully kissed her cheek, "I'm _very _sure that's how THAT works."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000

**Present Day **

Baelfire was out of his bed before Emma was. He threw his covers back and raced to her bed just as she was sitting up, "Get up."

He saw her terrified eyes in the dim light of the fireplace.

The guards pounded on the door again and he was afraid the door was splinter.

"Easy," he yelled

He threw open the trunk at the end of his bed and searched around until he found the crossbow that used to be Cherinia's; his third wife's.

"Can you shoot?" he asked.

"Yes," she accepted it.

If this were normal soldiers, he would lie. He would tell them that Emma was his wife and con his way to safety. However, this was Regina's soldiers. They wouldn't care if Emma was a wanted fugitive or not. Men like them liked the power they got; they would use it to hurt innocents.

The door flew open. Baelfire immediately put himself in between the soldiers and Emma. He raised his sword to protect them. There were four soldiers that he could see. Two for each if Emma could fight, that wouldn't be too hard.

The lead soldier walked forward, "Emma Swan…you are under arr-."

Emma released the arrow. It embedded right under the man's knee. He went down with a scream.

The window to the right broke; Baelfire pulled Emma away as he watched a glass bottle fly into the room. Baelfire recognized it immediately when he saw that it was halfway full of alcohol, and a flame burned down a soaked piece of cloth in the middle of the bottle.

The bottle broke and the alcohol provided the accelerant. The fire immediately spread across the floor.

Gods, they were going to burn them alive in here.

They only had one option now, the fire spread too quickly to be put out. Baelfire looked at Emma and nodded; he grabbed a sword strapped to a chair and tossed it to her. She caught it and strapped it to her hip.

Baelfire broke the other window in the house, "Get to a horse…"

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me," he told her, "I'm sure I'll be safe."

He climbed through the window first and threw a dagger when one of the soldiers circled the house. He helped Emma over the glass. Another soldier raced at them, Bae let go of Emma and blocked the sword with his. Emma moved around him and shot another soldier in the shoulder.

A taller man came up behind Baelfire. He blocked the sword of the 15 year old boy that he was fighting, turned and kicked the taller man in the abdomen. It allowed him enough time to flip the younger boy over his shoulder and take the sword. Now he had two. The taller man came at him immediately. Baelfire easily blocked the man's attacks, but he wasn't sure how long he could keep up. He wasn't used to fighting with two swords, it felt awkward.

He tried to look for Emma; she was sparring with one of the soldiers. Apparently ruling the entire world made Regina not care to train her soldiers properly. The man swung wide and Emma ducked, straightened herself up and then slammed her foot against his knee. The knee broke under the impact.

Then he heard the hooves. A female soldier rode around the corner and took in the situation. She charged at Baelfire, apparently he was the bigger threat since he had two swords

"HEY!"

They all turned.

Emma lifted her sword in the air as far back as her arms could go. Baelfire was about to scream that it was a sword, not an axe. Then, Emma launched it in the air. It flew right into the woman's chest….or shoulder. Bae wasn't sure. But the impact and the injury forced her to fall off the animal.

Emma was up on the saddle in an instant. She turned the horse towards the road and turned back to him.

No! Gods, just run!

But Baelfire raced to her side anyway. His leg found the stirrup and he pulled his way up behind her. She kicked the horse into a gallop just as the man Baelfire had been fighting reached them.

Baelfire leaned into Emma's ear so that she could hear him, "At this big oak tree, turn right, there's a hidden path."

Emma did so and together they rode into the night.


	6. Chapter 6

**13 Years Ago **

Emma knew she wasn't like other children. She didn't know why, and she didn't know how to explain it, but she was different. Her parents barely let her play with any of the other children unless they were there to watch. Her parents barely let her outside unless they were there either.

They were happy but they were scared. And so Emma was scared sometimes. She could sense that. She was four year old, she knew things.

They were living in a small hut in a village this time. They didn't talk to many people. Her papa worked in a field with the other men and her mother managed her. That's what her mother liked to say with a smile; manage her. She liked to say that Emma was quite a handful. She didn't mean it of course; she was smiling when she said it.

It was about to be the end of the harvest. They were going to have a celebration and a feast soon. She heard her papa tell her mother that they would have plenty to eat this winter.

So he was home now. Most times he spent all day in the fields and he was too tired to play with her. However now was different, she could crawl all over him and he didn't mind.

Today, he took her outside to an empty field. She got to ride on the horse with him and he took her to the field that was right next to a mountain.

"Emma," he climbed off the horse and helped her down, "You okay?"

She looked back at the black stallion, "Can we ride some more?"

"Maybe later," he led her away and placed her in front of him, "Emma….did you know that you're the daughter of a prince and princess?"

Emma stared at her papa with wide eyes, "Really?"

"Yes," he smiled, "But Emma…an evil queen has taken over our kingdom…and she's taken over everything…and she's looking for us. She was…your mother's stepmother. So, we have to live in hiding, that's why you're not where you belong in a castle where you're safe. Until she dies….we will never be safe. And since she's an evil sorceress who can keep herself young, that'll probably never happen naturally."

Emma tilted her head; she didn't understand all this, "Papa?"

"Never mind sweetie, the point is…that…people will always be looking for us. People will always want to hurt us. So…it'll be safer if you learn how to fight."

He looked scared. And if her papa was scared then she was too."

He held up a wooden sword strapped to the horse's saddle and handed it to her with a bow, "Your Grace."

Emma gave an excited smile. She was a princess!

She took the sword and tried to swing it at her father. He blocked it with his own sword and moved when she kept trying to hit him. He moved so good, Emma was sure she would be able to be better than him.

The frustration mounted. Emma dropped her sword and raced towards her father's legs. She wrapped her arms around them in hopes of tripping him, but he didn't fall. Instead, he grabbed her sides and tickled her. Emma squealed as he lifted her up and held her upside down. Emma struggled out of her father's grip and stood. Her head felt funny for a second and she sat in the dirt.

"Emma?" her father sounded concerned, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she stood, "I'm okay, papa."

"Alright," he pressed his lips to her forehead, "You want to try again?"

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Present Day**

The small hidden pass led to a plateau a few mils away, Emma and Baelfire rode until they reached it. They dismounted to rest. The horse had ridden….gods knew how long to get there and they rode it pretty hard to get away….hopefully they could take a few minutes to rest.

It was dark out here…the only thing that lit their way was the moonlight.

Baelfire stood on the edge of the plateau and looked out in the darkness. Emma could see some flames in the distance.

They were burning his home….and this was her fault. She led them here…she thought she'd been careful and she wasn't.

They stood there for about an hour. Watching.

"Baelfire," she whispered, "I'm so sorry."

"I worked that land…for three hundred years."

Emma looked down.

"My family is buried on that land. Not all of them of course…but a lot of them. The woman I married…a lot of our children…"

A tear slipped down her cheek

"It's amazing how fast one can lose it all," he whispered, "With just a tip off and a flame."

A lot of people had lost a lot thanks to Regina. But Emma didn't remind him of that. She couldn't even begin to understand the pain he was going through right now and she wouldn't make ignorant statements like that.

"I'm sorry, Baelfire," she whispered, "This is my fault."

"It's not your fault," he said harshly and moved toward the horse, "It won't take them long to find the paths we took. We better go."

He climbed on the horse and pulled Emma up as well.

She would help him…she wasn't sure how yet, but if….no, when she got her kingdom back, she would find a way to make this right.


	7. Chapter 7

**288 Years Ago**

Winter set in and it was another biting one. The winds felt like they cut right through a person and stole their breath away. Sometimes they were so strong that Baelfire would awaken at night and hear the windows rattling.

His family never felt the chill inside the house though. He made sure of that. The windows were as sealed as he could make them and the fire roared through most of the night and the day. He and Morraine knew what it was like to shiver under a thin blanket as the winds blew through the cracks in the house…and how it was so cold that one could barely feel their fingers.

He wasn't going to let his family go through that. They would probably know suffering….but if he could prevent it, then he would. Especially when his oldest was only eight; far too young to know some things that he'd known at her age.

"Coldest night of the year," he told his wife and crawled into their bed.

"You couldn't possibly know that," she cuddled against him.

"I'm hoping it is, I don't know if I can take it being any colder." He told her and pulled the comforter up at the mention of the chill, "I went to get firewood earlier. Nearly turned into a block of ice."

"Poor thing," she cuddled next to him, "Oh, you ARE cold."

He put his hand on her belly, his next child moved under his touch, "Wish you could warm me up."

She put her hand on his, "I share the same sentiment but….maybe next winter if I don't' declare abstinence after four children."

"Whatever you wish, dear," he kissed her forehead.

"Oh, I'm sure that me declaring celibacy would kill both of us," she kissed him goodnight.

"I wouldn't care," he told her and brushed some of her hair back, "All I want is you."

He wrapped his arms around her.

He heard the curtain move behind him and a small hand shook his shoulder, 'Papa."

Baelfire turned to find his youngest son standing by the bedside, "Hi son…you have a nightmare?"

The boy nodded.

"Bae," Morraine warned.

"It's a nightmare," he told her and put their son right next to him, "Just for tonight."

"That's what you say every night this happens," she said, "He's getting too old for this."

"Just for tonight," He argued.

"Softie."

"Hm," he winced as his son stuck his cold feet against Bae's back, "I'm your softie though."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Baelfire's home was a little bit away from town. So he didn't hear the trouble at first.

But when someone kicked open his door, he knew immediately that the looters he heard about months ago were here.

"Rise and shine, everyone," a man taunted. Baelfire grabbed a knife strapped to his leg.

"Bae," Morraine whispered frantically.

Baelfire grabbed his son and handed him to his wife, "Sh…"

The curtain was pulled open. Baelfire saw it was some man…a malnourished twig of a man with a knife too big for him.

Baelfire threw his own dagger and it embedded in the man's neck. The man staggered and Baelfire rushed over and pulled him on the floor before he could fall back through the curtain.

Baelfire rushed through the curtain and grabbed his daughter before she could get through and see the body, "Get Dyllyan and get under your bed."

"Papa!"

"Under your bed!" he said more harshly

Through the window, he saw a man riding a horse with a torch. Gods, he'd built this home by hand, he didn't want it burned to the ground before it stood ten years.

He grabbed a garden hoe and raced outside. The man on the horse was on him. HE swung the hoe and caught the man. The rider fell off the beast and landed on his neck with a sickening crunch.

Baelfire thought he saw someone behind him, and tried to turn.

A war hammer slammed against his knee. Baelfire was on the ground before the pain even hit him…and when it did…

He'd never experienced anything like it. He couldn't think…he couldn't think. His knee was completely shattered and he might never walk again…

When he could see…when the pain didn't blind him (It felt like an eternity but it was barely seconds) He saw the main ready to bring a war hammer down on his skull.

Morraine moved behind his attacker. She grabbed him by the back of his hair, forced his head back, and cut his throat. The man choked on his own blood and fell next to Baelfire.

"Bae," His wife went to kneel beside him.

They could hear screams from the village. But not of the villagers. Bae forced himself to sit up and he tried to listen.

He heard no women and children screaming.

"Baelfire."

He looked up at the voice that was all too familiar and he felt his blood run cold when he saw his father, "What did you do?"

"Saved your village," Rumpelstiltskin knelt beside Baelfire…across from Morraine, "You're hurt."

"Will healing me be your price for saving us?" Baelfire asked, defeated.

"If I don't heal at least most of the damage, you'll be in a worse position then I was when I got my injury," he hovered his hand over Baelfire's knee. Baelfire saw the purple smoke around his hand, "Don't worry son, I know how you hate magic…I won't heal things that can't heal naturally. You may have a limp though."

"What about the others?" he demanded.

"No one's majorly hurt," He promised his son, "They just want to rob and pillage, they don't fight you unless you fight first."

"I protected my family."

Rumpelstiltskin looked at him, "I never said there was anything wrong with what you did."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000

Baelfire hadn't asked for much in his life. A peaceful existence, a family to love and some land to work. He didn't care about his leadership of the town, he didn't care about his standing…he didn't want anything more than what he had. He was happy with his small little farm. He didn't want power and he didn't want magic. He'd seen too much of both over the 300 years he'd been alive and he wasn't eager to see any more.

And in one night he lost that all. They took _everything. _His home…his family…They would burn his fields and rob the graves…and the only thing left would be a pile of ash after they took everything of value and burned the rest as a warning. He had no home now…he could never return to the village because they would be waiting for him.

Why hadn't his father come? Was this one of his 'lessons'? If Baelfire wasn't going to answer to his father's terms, then Rumpelstiltskin wasn't going to help him?

Or maybe this was his game. He wanted Bae to lose everything so he'd turn to his father for help.

Either one sounded like something he'd do. He never interfered unless Baelfire's life was in immediate danger and this would probably be no different. He wouldn't care if Baelfire's home was gone. After all, it was a representation that Baelfire had had a life separate from him.

Or maybe he wanted Baelfire to leave with this girl. Maybe this was his way of pushing them together because Baelfire had been through more wars than he cared to count. Maybe he wanted him to be some sort of advisor for Emma because he believed that Emma could get the throne with his help.

Or maybe he was in the bathtub and couldn't be bothered, Baelfire didn't know.

Emma dozed behind him. The adrenaline was crashing and she was exhausted. He was as well but he hadn't ridden as far as she had with barely any rest either.

He had tied her to him a few hours ago to keep her from falling off. She pressed against his back in a way that was comfortable for her, but not for him. Her weight was off on the right. If she shifted anymore, he was scared she'd fall off and take him with her.

Gods, what was he supposed to do with her? Drop her off at the coast, wish her luck on her quest, and go find somewhere else to live? It'd been dark last night…none of the guards saw his face all that clearly. They wouldn't know what he looked like.

The Queen might though…she was a sorceress.

And he wasn't entirely sure he could leave this girl alone now that they'd fought side by side. He sort of felt responsible for her now. She wouldn't have many friends here…especially if she didn't get the Dark One's assistance. That was his fault. Of course it would look simple…just speak with his father. That was Emma's deal.

But it was never that simple. He couldn't. Not after he came to regret so many deals he'd made with his father when his father wanted to reconcile. Baelfire couldn't go through it again.

So if he was going to be responsible for Emma losing a major strategic advantage, then he could at least do his best to take care of her.

It was noon when she woke up. He felt her head move against his back and he felt the pressure of her chin as she rested it on his back, "What time is it?"

"Noon," he pulled the horse to stop on the edge of the mountain. There was a stream here…they needed to rest.

He cut the rope that bound him to Emma and climbed down. Emma hopped down as well. She looked somewhat rested but her posture spoke of how she physically exhausted she still was.

Baelfire filled the canteens. Emma went downstream and washed some of the soot and dirt from her face and hands

"You're quiet," he muttered and tossed her a canteen.

"I'm just…I don't know."

She was feeling guilty that she led them to his home.

"Emma, you should know that what happened wasn't your fault," he told her. It would be too easy to blame her for them finding him and disturbing his home…and Baelfire was far too old to be petty like that. Blaming her for something she may or may not have inadvertently done was going to solve nothing.

"If I can't protect one man's home, how can I protect a kingdom?" she asked.

"Well, you get an army with a kingdom," Baelfire shrugged, "They do the fighting for you."

She smiled a little. Baelfire sat next to her and gave her a small nudge with his elbow, "What do I call you?"

"What?"

"Well, the way I see things, you're stuck with me now. We've saved each other's lives you see…and back in my day that usually creates a bond. So…I will help you take your kingdom back to the best of my ability. I am the oldest person here. Well…not the oldest person but the oldest person in the world that will help you without a steep price attached. I will need to call you something, your majesty."

Emma looked hopeful as he told her he was going to stay. There was a light in her eyes that almost looked hopeful. And then it immediately disappeared when he called her that, "I'm not queen yet, you can't call me 'your majesty."

He gave her another bigger smile, "Your Grace?"

"No."

"The Swan?"

"Gods NO!" she exclaimed moved to mount the horse.

"Queen's Bane?"

"If you call me that pretentious name…," she trailed off, "At least let me earn it!"

He smiled despite the grief he was feeling. Sometimes he covered up his emotions by teasing when he was feeling….all these overwhelming emotions. He couldn't cry in front of her at the loss of everything he'd worked for and gained and lost in 300 years. He would do that when he found an inn.

Emma shrugged, "Emma's fine."

She reached down and he climbed up behind her, "Well tell me…_Emma. _Where are we going?"

"Hrothgleld."

"Am I supposed to know that town?"

"Not really, it's not that big or well known" Emma said urged the horse forward, "Which is why I picked it."

"And your army is there?"

Emma smiled, "Some of it is."


	8. Chapter 8

Baelfire noticed before they even reached the town that they were being watched. He wished he could say that it wasn't obvious unless one knew where to look for it, but they were…particularly bad at concealing themselves. No wonder they were losing the war.

He first noticed when he heard a twig snap, and then he heard scampering. The next one, he actually saw running down the hill a bit away from them.

"Making it a bit obvious, aren't they?"

"Hm," He heard the smile in Emma's words, "That's how I know."

"Know what?"

"That Regina hasn't found them and slaughtered them all. They make it obvious so that I know. It's a bit of a code."

He watched as it became more and more obvious as they drew closer. They even incorporated animal calls. Baelfire rolled his eyes, Emma just seemed amused.

It was a small coastal town. Baelfire could see the masts of the ships a mile or so away from the entrance. The horse's hooves sounded loud against the crooked cobblestones of the street that needed to be repaired. Most of the houses were made of stone, but he could see some mud huts as well, and some cottages.

People were pouring out into the street. Baelfire felt a bit worried when he laid eyes on all of them. This put Emma in a very vulnerable position. If she was stabbed or shot then no one would know who did it. He may protect her because he was in the front, but no one protected her at her back.

He watched as they all came out to the street…and then he watched as they bowed. One by one everyone bowed to Emma as they passed them.

He…hadn't expected something this public. He expected people to come in and pay her reverence indoors…where she couldn't be seen but that didn't seem to be the case.

Baelfire looked back at Emma, "Are these all your supporters?"

"I have pockets of public supporters all over the Enchanted Forest," Emma told him, "But most support me as an extension of them supporting my parents. As I said before, I haven't earned anything yet."

Maybe with his advice, they could.

Two of Regina's soldiers walked around the corner.

Baelfire felt his heart hammer in his chest as they noticed Emma. He felt his hand go to the dagger in his boot.

Emma noticed it as well, "Don't, Baelfire."

He was about to argue, but he watched as they took off their helmets and took a knee as well.

"What in the name of the gods…," he started.

"Regina's a terrible boss," Emma muttered as they passed them, "Is it all that surprising that the guards she sends out to the cities would support me as well?"

"I'm certain they only do so because they don't want the crowd ripping them apart," he muttered. In his experience, men would turn over a so called 'friend' or 'savior' in an instant to further their own agendas or survival.

"Maybe," Emma whispered and he heard the hurt in her voice, "Or maybe there are some that truly support us."

They rode for a couple of more minutes in silence. Someone held out a rose to Emma and she accepted it with a smile.

They approached an inn.

"Stop here," Emma told him.

He pulled the horse to a stop. As soon as he did, a pretty dark headed woman about late thirties came down the stairs in a…frighteningly bright red cloak.

She gave a small bow and he

"You don't have to do that, Red" Emma told the woman and embraced her.

"Got to set an example." Red said, "And you're late."

"Fashionably," Emma gave a small smile, "I would've sent a note, but it wasn't safe."

"So, did you get his help?" Red asked as they walked up the stairs.

"Um…," Emma looked behind her, "More or less."

"More or less?"

"I'll tell you after I get a nice bath and something to eat," Emma told her, "It's been a very long couple of days."

Baelfire climbed off the horse and followed them quietly.

Emma looked over her shoulder and then turned to what Baelfire was the tavern owner, "Get this gentleman the best room you have."

Red looked back at him, "Whose this?"

"Baelfire," Emma shot him a small smile, "My new advisor."

Red looked back at him…she gave him an unsure look, "Hello."

He tilted his head, "Are you really named after a color?"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

Emma wanted to sleep. That feather bed looked very tempting and she wanted to curl up under the heavy quilt and go to sleep and not get out of bed until she just had to.

But there were too many things to do…and if she went to bed now then she probably wouldn't sleep tonight. She wanted to get her sleeping schedule back on track.

"So, he's the dark one's son," Red noted.

"Looks like it," Emma told her.

"He looks so…normal."

"For a three hundred year old man, yeah," Emma muttered.

"How is that possible?"

"I'm not completely sure, I honestly don't want to imagine the Dark One doing what it would take to reproduce," Emma rubbed her hands over her eyes, "But he wants to help, and…well….any help I can get right now…."

"And the three hundred year old son of the evil incarnate is going to help us."

"He and his father aren't exactly on speaking terms," Emma told her, "And he saved my life and I saved his…we're sort of together on this now."

Red looked back, "Do you trust him?"

"Yes," Emma nodded, "I do."

"Does he know what he's doing?" Red asked.

"Red," Emma scowled.

"Emma, we haven't seen your parents in a year. We got separated when Regina's troops attacked and we don't even know if they're alive. I promised them when you were born that if something happened to them, I would protect you. And I can't do that if you're running with the son of the Dark One and he messes up and gets you killed."

"Well, the way I see it, there's a lot of benefit to bringing him on," Emma said, "He's a capable fighter, he's angry at Regina's troops, he's been around long enough to see everything, and he's the only son of the Dark One. At least, I think he's the only son of the Dark One…but anyway, the Dark One isn't going to let him die or get hurt. He promised to defeat an entire army if I just got his son to talk to his father. What do you think he'd do if his son was under threat? If you don't trust that he's good for me or good for this cause like I do, then at least think of him as an investment."

"I don't like this," Red told her.

"I know," Emma told her and stood, "But we have to play the hand we're dealt, and we were dealt him. And I trust him."

"I hope you're right," Red whispered.

"I hope so too," Emma nodded and sat at the table, "Alright…tell me what I should be expecting for court today."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

Baelfire didn't have much money. That's what happened when someone stormed your house in the middle of the night and burned it down. So he was going to have to live off the generosity of others until he could secure a job here.

Well, unless he got paid for being the advisor of an exiled princess.

He really doubted that last part though. Emma had hinted that she pulled her weight in town just the same as anyone else. She didn't want to live completely off everyone else's generosity, and she felt that if she could experience the life and work of her future subjects (Gods willing) then she could help them better.

But for now, he was unemployed and he had to deal with what they gave him. He kept his pants but the shirt they gave him was a bit bigger than his size. The sleeves fell past his wrist and the bottom of his shirt fell mid-thigh.

He took a hot bath and ate two plates full of eggs, bacon, ham, and hash browns. He wanted to sleep. He really wanted to curl up into that bed but they called him in for court.

There was an empty room in the back of the inn. Or he imagined used to be empty. There were people gathering in the room now. At the other end of the room there was a chair that just looked like a really large dining room chair. Was that supposed to be her throne?

He supposed he couldn't expect any different; this was a small village after all.

He reached the room shortly before Emma. He saw everyone in the room bow as Emma strode into the room in a dark green dress that matched her eyes. He gave a small bow as she passed him.

"You don't have to do that," she told him as she sat down.

"I better," he teased, "When you or your parents are rulers, I'll have to be in practice."

"You'd stay with me that long?"

""We'll see," he replied and gave another smaller bow…just to tease her a bit.

Emma scowled again, "Alright…bring the first one in."

They watched as a tall dark headed man in leather swaggered in. He gave a large flirtatious smile as soon as he saw Emma on her…semi-throne.

He had a hook for a hand.

"Hello, my lady," the man extended his arms and gave a sweeping bow.

Emma didn't look amused, "Who are you?"

"Hook," he smiled, "Captain Hook."

Oh gods, Bae sighed, a pirate.


	9. Chapter 9

**300 years ago**

When Milah came to Killian and begged him to take her away from her responsibilities as a mother and wife, he had obliged. She wouldn't be the first wife he'd taken away as a dalliance and he had doubted she'd be the last.

She hadn't told him that she just…left her husband with no words on where she was going.

Then her husband came, that little crippled coward spinner that she claimed made her so miserable. He walked on the Jolly Roger with nothing more than a walking stick to face down a bunch of bloodthirsty pirates. He may have been a coward but Killian had to at least admire that.

He didn't know why he had lied. He could just be honest and tell the man that his wife was currently sleeping in Killian's bed. He could destroy him by letting him know that Rumpelstiltskin was so pathetic that he couldn't get the sympathy of his wife just because he survived a war through…less than stellar means.

But maybe he pitied the man. Maybe he didn't want him to think horribly of his wife for leaving him. Or maybe he wanted to hurt and humiliate the cripple, he wasn't sure. But he threw a sword at his feet and demanded that he fight for Milah. Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't do it of course. And Killian knew that. He wanted to survive. He wanted his son to have at least one parent.

And now as he stood in front of the Dark One, he realized that no matter what his reasons, he'd made a HUGE mistake.

The Dark One could only be here for one thing…and Killian knew that if he didn't play this right then he wasn't walking out of this alley, "You…I remember you."

"Always nice to make an impression," the Dark One mocked.

Had Killian said that when they met? Huh. Well, he was glad that one of them remembered, he supposed.

"Where are my manners," the Dark One mocked, "We haven't been properly introduced."

He gave a sweeping bow, "Rumpelstiltskin…or as others know me….the Dark One."

Killian stood his ground but he heard his crew backing away.

"Oh," Rumpelstiltskin mocked, "I see my reputation precedes me."

Killian stared at him quietly, "It does."

"Good!" Rumpelstiltskin circled him like a vulture, "That's going to save us time during the, uh, question and answer portion of our game."

He was here to avenge Milah's 'death'. This opened up all sorts of problems, "What is it you want to know?"

Rumpelstiltskin leaned in, "How's Milah, of course?"

He couldn't know his wife had willingly left. He gave a small shrug, and as large of an innocent smile as he could muster, "Who?"

Rumpelstiltskin smiled mockingly, "Only too happy to, uh, dig out the memory. But, it gets really messy."

Killian couldn't have that. He'd find out about Milah…he'd know they were on their way to take Baelfire from him and take him on the seas. From the way Rumpelstiltskin was acting, Killian had a very small chance to get out of here alive. He couldn't allow Milah to suffer the same fate.

So he lied to protect her, "She's dead. Died a long time ago."

Rumpelstiltskin's face fell. Killian tried to make sense of that. Did he want to be Milah's hero? Nine years after the fact, now that he could do it? "What is it you want?"

"We didn't get the chance to finish our duel," Rumpelstiltskin said slowly.

He was going to die. Well, if it was going to happen, he was going to die as a man. He went to draw his sword but Rumpelstiltskin stopped him.

"Not now! Tomorrow at dawn," he made a flamboyant gesture, "I'm not a cruel man. Get your affairs in order. Also, you can spend tonight knowing it'll be your last. Maybe I am cruel. And don't think about trying to escape. Because I will find you, and I will gut your entire crew like a fish."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000

As far as fighting Dark One in alleys, Killian realized that things could've gone a lot better and gone so much worse.

Worse in that he could be dead right now.

Better in that he was quite certain he hadn't escaped anything yet and the Dark One's temper could turn at the slightest provocation.

He knew Milah was alive. He knew it was all a lie. He'd tried to tell her to take the crew and leave but she didn't listen. She never listened, and did what she thought was best. That's why he'd fallen in love with her. Her spirit and her passion had gotten his attention and she was more than just a dalliance after all these years.

Rumpelstiltskin lagged behind as Milah helped Killian aboard the ship. She barked out orders as he leaned on some cargo and accepted water from one of the deckhands.

Milah had saved his life by offering Rumpelstiltskin what he wanted most.

Power.

And by power, he meant the last magic bean in all the realms. Everyone knew that he was looking to find at least one. Beans could be planted; they could be grown into a crop. And it let him have access to all sorts of worlds that portals that revolved around magic did not. With those beans he could find more power…or trade for power.

And they had the only one. Usually Killian would believe that he had the high ground but not in this situation.

"Well, well," Rumpelstiltskin mocked as he climbed aboard, "Seems like you finally found a family…..you could never have with me."

He didn't bother to hide the jealousy in his voice.

Killian struggled to his feet as they brought up the collector out from below and tossed Milah the bag. Milah pulled out the small bean, showed it to Rumpelstiltskin, and when he moved to take it, she threw it to Killian, who caught it midair.

Killian clutched it in his hand, "You asked to see it, now you have."

"Do we have a deal?" Milah demanded, "Can we go our separate ways?"

"Do you mean 'do I forgive you?' he sneered, "Can I move on? Perhaps perhaps…I can see you are twooly in love."

What sort of accent was that supposed to be?

"Thank you," Milah said tensely.

"Just one question," he started.

"What do you want to know?"

"How could you leave Bae?" he demanded and pointed at her.

And Killian knew they were in trouble.

Ropes snapped from their anchors. Sails ripped in two and the wood creaked under their feet.

Killian looked at his partner, "Milah."

"Do you know what it's like…walking home that night-?"

Milah took the stance that she usually did when she was about the defend herself, "Rumpel-."

Gods, she was going to get killed if she did that.

"Knowing I had to tell our son," Rumpelstiltskin continued.

"Please," Milah begged.

"That his mother was dead."

In all the years Milah had been with him, she had never viewed what she did as completely wrong. But now the apology came rushing out, "I was wrong to lie to you. I was the coward, I-."

"You left him!" Rumpelstiltskin screamed, "You abandoned him!"

"And there's not a day that goes by that I don't feel sorry for that."

"Sorry isn't enough!" he snapped, "You left him. You never came back. You didn't even bother asking about him since we've met-."

"I let my misery cloud my judgment," Milah told him.

Rumpelstiltskin looked her over, "Why were you so miserable?"

She leaned forward, "Because I NEVER loved you."

A small beat passed that felt like an eternity. Killian started forward before he realized what he was doing. He watched Rumpelstiltskin's face twist in a rage and he shoved his hand through Milah's chest.

Killian barely let that have time to process before he rushed forward to protect her. Rumpelstiltskin didn't take his eyes off his wife as he waved his hand. Some of the ropes flew against him and pinned him to the mast.

Killian could only watch as Rumpelstiltskin slowly pulled out her heart, "No!"

He pulled the hook off the mast and rushed towards Milah. She started to collapse from shock; he grabbed her and lowered her down.

She looked up at him and searched his eyes, "I love you."

Killian looked to the imp on his ship. The imp examined the beating heart in his hands for a few seconds and then placed it in a stone box that he summoned with a flick of his wrist.

Then he threw it overboard. Killian cringed as he heard the box that contained Milah's heart hit the water and no doubt sank below.

As Milah struggled to breathe on the deck, Killian stood, "You may be more powerful now, demon. But you're no less of a coward."

"I'll have what I came for, now," Rumpelstiltskin said and gestured to his hand.

"You'll have to kill me first," Killian hissed.

"I'm afraid that's not in the cards for you, sonny boy," he mocked and twisted the sword he was holding.

Killian looked down and saw his hand was lying on the ground. Panic hit him…then pain…

"Don't worry, it's not like she used it much anyway," Rumpelstiltskin mocked as Killian started screaming in horror.

How was he supposed to captain a ship with just one hand?

"I want you alive…because I want you to suffer like I did," he shot a struggling Milah a seething look.

He tucked Killian's hand into his cloak and started for the dock.

Killian's fury overrode his good sense and he grabbed the hook. He raced over to Rumpelstiltskin and as the man turned, he slammed it into the black hole where his heart should've been.

Rumpelstiltskin feigned agony and then started giggling, "Killing me is going to take a lot more than that, dearie."

"Even demons can be killed. I will find a way."

Rumpelstiltskin leaned forward, "Well good luck living long enough."

Smoke surrounded Rumpelstiltskin and he was gone. The hook clattered to the ground.

"Killian?" Milah asked, he

Her heart was gone…his hand was gone…what did they do now?

He turned to two of his men, "Get her below."

"You've been hurt, Captain."

He brushed it away; he'd get it taken care of in a second. Milah was hurt, "I said get her below!"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0

**Present Day **

Baelfire knew they were in trouble the minute Emma didn't turn this…Captain Hook away as soon as she set eyes on him. He knew the way Emma looked at him that he had her attention.

But Emma quickly set her wall up. She took a tense posture on the throne and stared him down, "What an amusing nickname."

He held up his hook and gestured to it, "Well."

"Careful," Baelfire whispered to Emma, "Don't get too comfortable."

Emma listened to him and then looked back, "What can I do for you, Captain?"

"I believe the more…accurate question is… 'What can we do to help each other?'"

Two more pirates walked into the room, lay down two blankets on the ground, and then two more walked in and dumped two bagfuls of gold on the blankets. Baelfire jumped at how loud the noise was and watched as jewelry, coins, and other assortment of gold and silver belongings poured out.

"A gift for her majesty," he took a pillow from one of the men that held a large emerald encased in a golden necklace, "To match your eyes."

A faint blush lit Emma's cheeks, she waved it away and one of her handmaidens (Baelfire guessed) took it from the pirate, "Where did you get this?"

"From Queen Regina's Royal Navy of course."

"How?"

"When you have the fastest ship in the realms, it's quite easy to attack and pillage their ships. Now, more than one ship…that's a bit trickier but I love a challenge."

He let his eyes travel lazily over her features and Baelfire bristled.

"You want an alliance?" Emma put it together.

Hook smiled, "As you imagine, it's hard enough being free of Regina's rule on land, you can imagine what it's like being a free man on the sea. It's becoming…harder and harder to be a pirate."

"Harder and harder to rob, rape and kill," Baelfire muttered to Emma, "Imagine that."

"I've never raped anyone," Hook protested immediately, "My partners have been…more than willing."

He was looking at Emma again. He let his tongue travel over his top teeth slightly and Emma noted it from the scowl that crossed her face briefly, "What are you proposing? I can't give you anything."

"I can carry your name," he nodded to the gold, "Every ship my mates and I rob, we will do so in your name and much of the proceeds will go to you and your cause. You could afford your army. You could afford better rations for the people you have under your care now."

"And what's the price?" Emma asked, "My name doesn't hold much."

"Your name holds the hope of everyone who hates Regina in the world and wants someone to rise up against her and defeat her successfully. The last armies failed, do you know why? Because each was from a different realm….all had their goals and they were divided and Cora and her daughter picked them off one by one. But you…your name represent something united. Your name represents peace. A name can be just a name for those like you; it can mean all the difference in the world."

Emma stirred a bit at that, "What do you want in return?"

"All I ask is for those that fight for you to have a pardon…and weapons…Regina's armies have weapons we can only speculate about. It's getting harder and harder to plunder, so we'll need to find whichever portal she's using to funnel in her supplies and take them"

Emma tensed; Baelfire saw the doubt in her eyes as she turned to him and Red, "A word."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Baelfire followed Red and Emma as they slipped upstairs to her bedroom for a quick chat, "Don't agree to it."

Emma watched him, "What do you know about him?"

"Nothing, but I know you can't trust pirates. Regina makes an offer, it wouldn't be too difficult for one to sneak into your room and steal you away in the night to her castle. If they don't just lure you on the boat and use you like they did my mot-," he stopped, "Just don't agree to it, Emma. He's looking for a quick fix out of a situation he's more than likely landed himself in. If they help you win and you pardon those that helped you, then what sort of men are you allowing getting away with the crimes they've committed? And what happens if you do give them weapons like cannons and the like that Regina's Navy now own? When she's defeated, you're just setting yourself up to deal with the same problem that she'll have faced. Problem is, they'll already have had practice on how to deal with a royal navy and they'll have new toys they can shoot at your men too. It may be a temporary solution but it'll come back to haunt you in the long run."

Emma listened to him quietly and turned to Red, "What do you think?"

"I agree," Red said, "To a point. The navy is Regina's most powerful part of her military. When we attack towns, they're resupplied in a matter of hours with more food and weapons than we originally took from them. We have to do something, because if we hit them hard enough, it'll weaken Regina's forces."

"So what do you think I should do?"

Red bit her lip, "Pirates usually look for glory and look to enhance their names. Work with those that don't have a flamboyant reputation. Most of them live up to their names, so I doubt it'll be that hard."

"What about him?" Emma nodded to the door.

"I wouldn't trust him," Baelfire said, "But you have a problem. This is one of your strongholds and he's seen it….he can give Regina all she wants to know if you slight him now."

"Well we can't use him; we can't let him go…what do you suggest we do?"

Baelfire looked at Red. He really didn't want to do this. He didn't trust any pirate after they took his mother. He'd knew Emma might listen to him but she would also listen to Red…and Red was insistent at hitting that navy as hard as possible. He'd heard stories, but if the navy was a problem, they had to take care of it. No war was won without risks and compromise. This looked to be one of those choices, "We humor him…we work with him but we don't trust him…at all. And we certainly never let him have access to anything that could tip off Regina."

"You think he's spying?"

"I'm opening myself to all possibilities," Baelfire told them, "And the minute he shows that he's going to betray us, then we deal with him immediately."

"Okay," Emma nodded, "Bring him in."

Hook stood in the inn room a few seconds later, "Oh your majesty, I wasn't aware that my charms worked that fast on you…we could certainly do without the children though. I do ask that you wear the emerald-."

Red looked like she could snap his neck if she wanted to. Baelfire had to admit that he bristled as well.

Emma kept her face unemotional, "Here's how it'll be, Captain. I'm going to…trust that you're a man of your word."

"I do believe I'm a gentleman."

He was the only one in the room that did.

Emma cleared her throat, "I don't automatically pardon every pirate you bring in front of me. It depends on their crime."

He shrugged, "Fair enough."

"And you don't kill unless you're provoked. No one will side with us if they believe we'll heartlessly slaughter people who are just trying to provide for their families."

He scowled, "That'll be harder to enforce."

"You're the one they chose to come speak with me, you figure out how to make it work."

"Oh," he widened his eyes, "Feisty, aren't we?"

"Do we have a contract that we should sign?"

"Well, pirates usually shake on it, but since you're a lady and I'm…well," he raised his hook again with a wry smile, "I shan't say no to a kiss."

Baelfire surged forward, "Absolutely not."

"No," Red hissed.

The Captain gave him an irritated look, "I'm not looking to bed her!"

"Yes you are!" Baelfire protested. He got a sick feeling every time the captain put his eyes on her.

"All I want is a kiss!" he protested, "It's been…quite a long time-and to be graced by a lady such as yourself-"

"Enough," Baelfire said, "I just ate and I don't want to taste it coming back up."

"Baelfire," Emma warned over her shoulder.

Hook's head shot up and he looked at Bae, "Your name is Baelfire?"

"Since the day I was born," he muttered.

The captain looked stunned at that, but Baelfire wasn't sure why he would be. Maybe he bought his wheat from the vender that Bae sold his extra crops to.

He didn't get a chance to ask because Emma stepped forward, grabbed the captain by the lapels of his jacket, pulled him forward and slammed her lips against his. Hook jumped a bit at the impact. His hands touched her face for a second and he returned the kiss but the millisecond his hands went to her waist, she pulled away.

She hardly looked like she had enjoyed it.

"I'm sorry," she said, "Were you expecting me to have a big internal struggle about whether or not I should kiss you?"


	10. Chapter 10

**1 Year Ago**

It would not be a good idea to move, or cough or even breathe.

Which meant that Emma, hidden away with her mother in the secret attic of the house they were staying at needed to do all three.

She was sixteen now. Most girls her age were married or betrothed. Emma longed for a life where the only problems she faced was which suitor would make a good husband and father. She didn't have time for marriage though; it was a miracle that they went day to day surviving.

But that miracle might end tonight if she or her mother shifted wrong and the boards in the attic creaked.

Emma watched through the cracks of the house at the floor under her. There were three soldiers into the house. They were ripping up rugs and searching the floors with a torch….looking for any sign of a trap door that could be hiding the two women.

They'd just barely been able to get up the rope ladder and into the ceiling before Regina's troops came in. There was no trap door, they just put the boards in place and watched as the men came in.

And then when it was quite clear that they didn't suspect anyone there, they let the queen walk in.

Emma had only seen Regina once in her life. She'd been twelve and Regina had ridden through the village, Emma had been getting water at the time, for her mother was resting from her most recent miscarriage. When the queen passed by, Emma stood frozen in her place. She'd been almost certain that the Taker of Hearts could hear hers racing and it would give her away.

But Regina rode past with barely a glance and Emma and her family moved again.

Through the cracks, Emma used what she could see to deduce that unlike her mother, father and Red; Regina had not aged. She was using black magic to keep herself forever young so that she could continue to rule.

Emma wondered if she was using black magic to change her appearance as well. There were those that said Regina spent most nights completely drunk…if that were true, Emma wasn't sure how she could be as beautiful as she was. Maybe she was altering her appearance as well.

Dark magic was a seductive thing if one wasn't careful.

Regina looked around and then made a brief glimpse up at the ceiling. Emma felt her blood run cold as for that second, she thought they were found. She looked over to her mother who sat in the corner. She was pregnant again; two months along. They'd gone deeper into the woods so that Snow could have a peaceful pregnancy and birth but someone told Regina.

Emma hoped her father was on his way. He'd gone out for the evening patrol.

What if he wasn't even alive right now?

What if they killed him?

Regina looked around the one room house again and walked to the front, "Someone tipped them off and now they're gone."

Emma waited till they were gone before she slowly eased toward the opposite wall. There was an old window here. Her father had found built the shutters to look like it was part of the outside wall. She opened it slightly and peeked out.

"What should we do, my queen?" One of the soldiers asked.

Regina turned and looked back to the house, "Burn it down."

Emma's mother drew in a sharp breath of air and her hand closed on her sword, "Emma….get ready"

They were going to have to fight their way out of here. Emma had never been in a fight to the death before. Usually they were able to hide from Regina's soldiers or her parents did the fighting when she was a child….but never this.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She was going to die tonight. She was shaking…could she really take a life? Her parents had taught her how important life was and how she should value it but there was a point when you defended yourself.

Emma had never killed a man before.

And these men could be innocent for all she knew. They could just be men working to provide for their families. It didn't necessarily mean they were evil, just trying to survive.

But right now, they were her enemy and if Regina commanded it, they would kill her and her mother.

So Emma ripped open the shutter and aimed her crossbow for Regina. The soldiers might kill her afterwards but they might be less inclined to do so. Emma was aware they had their fair share of supporters in Regina's ranks; maybe if she ended this right here then they'd be safe.

Emma could end this tonight.

Regina turned to watch the house burn and Emma released the arrow. It arched through the air and buried itself in Regina's chest. The men scrambled back as Regina fell from the impact. Emma had done it.

She had killed her.

But then Regina started laughing and Emma felt a cold chill. She waved her hand and the arrow disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. She stood up with the help of a soldier.

"I'm the Queen of this World," She taunted up at Emma, "Do you think I'd be alive today if I kept my heart where everyone else does?"

Regina waved her hand. Emma felt her body jerk, like she were a puppet on strings and the next thing she knew she was flying through the air. It all felt like slow motion at first…and Emma felt lightheaded.

And then Regina flung her into a tree. Emma's back slammed into it and she crashed down on the ground. She landed hard on her shoulder and felt it break under her. A scream was out of Emma's mouth before she fully processed what had happened to her. She just knew that the slightest move sent waves of pain that brought tears to her eyes.

Emma watched as her mother jumped off the balcony with her sword drawn and landed on the soldier holding the torch that had nearly been used to burn them alive. The torch rolled away in the dirt. Snow jumped up and charged Regina. Regina waved her hand and Snow's sword was gone.

"Take her," Regina commanded. The soldier that had asked Regina what they should do charged Snow first. He backhanded her, grabbed her by her waist and neck and slammed her to the ground.

Emma ignored the pain and sat up. She needed to get to her mother. Emma could fight one handed if she needed to. She'd been taught how. She'd been taught how to fight with one hand, and how to fight restrained, her father even taught her how to fight blindfolded. But for the life of her every time she jarred her mangled shoulder, she thought she was going to pass out.

It was broken in more than one place, it had to be.

Snow grabbed the dagger of the man that attacked her and slit his throat. She shoved him off her, stood and faced the men.

One charged her. Snow brought her foot up between his legs. There was protection down there, so he didn't feel the entire blow but it was enough to lower him. Snow then ripped off his helmet and slammed it over his head.

Never kill unless you had to, that was the rule.

Another went at her. Snow threw the helmet at him; it temporarily distracted the soldier and gave Snow time to get two weapons. One sword from the soldier she had killed and the other from the one who…would temporarily be walking oddly if he survived this.

The soldiers backed away now that Snow had two swords. Charming was well known as one of the best swordsmen in the realm….they said he even nearly beat Rumpelstiltskin once. It only made sense that his wife was just as trained as he was.

"My name is Snow White," she said with authority, "I am the true queen of the North Kingdom, not this Usurper who has gained her position through murder and betrayal, and if any of you touch me then I swear it'll be the last mistake you ever make."

The men all took a clear step back and seemed to be recalculating their plan.

"Treason," Regina muttered and stormed over to Emma. Emma saw her mother's eyes widen at Regina's actions before the men descended on her again. And then she disappeared under the number of black uniforms.

Emma had a dagger tucked under her boot. She subtly moved her foot under her as she strained up.

"Look at the little swan with the broken wing," Regina taunted, "Was that honestly the best you could do?"

Emma stayed quiet….she thought that might be best.

Regina looked at the hole in the fabric of her dark blue riding coat and looked back at Emma, "You don't know the first thing about taking a life do you?"

Silence.

Emma's lack of an answer seemed to annoy Regina and she bent forward, "Let me show you how it's done."

Her hand went to where Emma's heart was. She would rip it out and crush it in front of her mother if it meant hurting Snow.

But Emma was faster.

She withdrew the dagger from her boot and plunged it in Regina's side. Regina's entire body tensed in surprise and pain. She tried to move away but Emma held onto the handle of the blade. It accidently twisted and Regina gasped in pain.

It may not kill her, but she'd just wish she was dead for a moment.

A horse whinnied to their left and both women turned.

Charming rode in at a fast pace. He rode right into the crowd of soldiers, who immediately scrambled back. Emma saw that her mother was still alive but there were quite a few bodies around her.

Regina's soldiers had gotten weak and lazy now that everything was conquered it seemed.

Emma watched as her father effortlessly leapt off his horse and threw one of his swords at Regina.

Regina was gone in a puff of smoke.

The men descended on them again and he easily fought through them. It helped that he had his wife by his side. Snow was tired but she fought with renewed energy now that she had Charming with her.

They fought their way to Emma's side. Charming whistled for his horse.

"Emma, you have to go," Snow said.

"No!" Emma pleaded, "I'm not leaving you."

"Regina will be back at any second," her father lifted her up, "And you're hurt. You need to get back to safety so you don't get killed. Ride as deep into the forest as you can and stay away from any reflective surfaces that's how she watches through her mirror."

"What about you? Come with me"

"It'll slow the horse down. We'll find you!" Charming promised, "This battle is almost done and we'll find you. I promise we will always find you."

"Mother!" Emma reached for Snow.

"Be careful, and don't trust anyone but our closest allies," Charming told her and slapped the horse, "Go."

Emma nearly fell off the horse and she screamed back for her parents.

And that was the last time she saw them.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Present Day**

That was the last time she saw them and now she was reduced to having to rely on the mercies of the Dark One and pirates.

Kissing this Captain Hook would probably be something that most women dreamed about. Missing hand aside, he was a tall handsome man with black hair and bright blue eyes and a flirtatious (and lusting) smile.

Only problem was that he seemed to be VERY aware of what his pretty face could get him and Emma swore that his pretty face wasn't going to get him her.

That's why the kiss, at least for her, was not all that great. Even when he'd had the sense to return it. He'd blatantly tried to quickly shove his tongue down her throat before she shoved him away. And now she had the taste of rum and hard tack in her mouth.

Baelfire and Red were stunned. Baelfire's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head. Red looked like she aged ten years.

The Captain looked more stupefied than the rest of them. Like he hadn't actually anticipated her doing what she did as easily as she had. Then the look was gone and he cleared his throat and shifted, "Could we do that again, princess? I wasn't ready."

"Pirate!" Baelfire screamed and started forward, Red quickly followed; her hand at a dagger in her belt.

"Easy," Emma crossed over to where there was some wine, "_I _kissed _him_."

"And it was quite nice. I'll look forward to further negotiations," Hook smirked, his eyes never left Emma.

Emma took a bit gulp of that wine to get rid of the taste of rum AND bile that had risen in the back of her throat, "So we'll need a portal jumper to get the supplies we need to defeat Regina's army."

"Yes," Hook used his hook to steal an apple.

"Know any?"

"None that are alive anymore," he bit into the apple, "Let's just say that I look incredibly good for my age. I think most would agree."

"The Queen used to have a portal jumper," Red started, "His name was Jefferson and he was one of the best. He knew each world he had access to from their culture to their language to their advantages and disadvantages."

Emma watched Red; there was something she wasn't telling her, "Is he working for our…all knowing queen?"

"The rumors I heard were that one day he jumped in his portal with the Queen and didn't come back out. They claim she left him in Wonderland with her mother."

Everyone was quiet at that. The tension could be cut with a knife. Everyone knew what Wonderland had been and what it was now that Cora had taken control.

"How accurate are these rumors?" Emma asked.

Red gave her that look that only her mother bested Red at giving, "What do you think?"

"He could be dead," Baelfire pointed out, "If he was left alone with that tyrant."

"Cora wouldn't be so stupid as to kill someone that might get her out of that place," Red told them, "And back home to the kingdom she nearly conquered for her daughter. Even if he's disappointed her for this long, I imagine he's better than nothing."

"He's probably insane by now if he's working for her," Emma muttered.

"Have any other better solutions?" Red asked, "You know any more portal jumpers that I don't?"

"No," Emma said, "I just feel very awkward about invaded a land whose rules I don't know about to negotiate with the witch who started all this mess for a man she has every reason to hold onto….if he's still alive."

"Who says we have to negotiate?" Hook asked, "You have an army don't you?"

"Invade?" Baelfire asked, "Yes, let's invade a land whose rules we don't fully know. That'll go over splendidly."

"We do know the rules," Hook said, "I've been there. I can get us to where we need to go. All we have to do is take Cora's magic from her…and I might have a solution to that. I think I might have something on my ship."

Instantly Emma had all sorts of questions that she thought best to ask later, "Well, before we get our battle strategy written down, we need to get his portal. Regina will keep it close I imagine."

"I can get to it," Red said.

"You mean, your source can?"

Red nodded, "It may take some time, I don't want him to incriminate himself."

"Get it done," Emma told her, "I'll get my army assembled…make sure they're where they need to be in training."

Because they were apparently going to invade Wonderland.

Emma wondered if she was so insane and desperate that somehow this solution made perfect sense.


	11. Chapter 11

**32 Years Ago**

The Huntsman had no name. Well, not one that could be pronounced anyway. Though at the age of 16 (as close as anyone could guess) everyone knew who he was. All the others in his profession were called '_a _huntsman.' But they called him "_The _Huntsman." It was a recognizable title for a recognizable person

He didn't care about respectability. He just wanted to be left alone, but with the populations in the enchanted forest growing…his family was in danger. He had to step in and as ludicrous as it sounded…broker peace between wolves and man. He was important. He was both. Raised by wolves and captured by man when he was thirteen and taught to be 'civilized'

His family told him he was a wolf, his captors told him he was a man, he wasn't sure which he was. He just knew that he had an important job to do that never ended.

This job was supposed to be simple. A wolf was killing sheep…they expected him to do something about it.

The normalcy of the situation only lasted about six seconds as he read on. The wolf came every full moon and ripped into the herds.

But wolves were territorial. If there was a wolf in the area then surely it would come around more than that. And surely they would've found it by now.

Then he got there. They offered him six chickens and ten sheep to take care of their problem, and with that sort of feast in his mind, he took off into the woods.

And then his brother…the wolf that accompanied him saw the tracks first…imprinted in the snow…

No wolf was as big as that.

Not one natural anyway.

The snow covered the rest of the tracks before he could follow them and so he returned to the inn and slept. He needed his rest for tonight, he hunted."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000

The Huntsman, unfortunately, did not have any wolf senses. He couldn't hear like they could. He couldn't smell anything, or see further than humans.

He was still very much human in that regard and he hated it.

It was his brother that served as his senses for him...it was part of the reason he brought him with him. Another reason was so that he never forgot who he was…he never forgot that it was a bunch of wolves that cared for him and not the humans that he had the benefits and limitations of.

It was a biting cold wind that chilled him when he got outside. It looked like it was ready to snow again.

His brother caught onto the scent quickly as soon as the full moon was arisen. They tracked the wolf for hours….throughout the night and as the moon started to go back down, they finally started gaining on it.

This sort of thing wasn't unheard of. He knew the stories of the enchanted creatures that were (Unlike him) literally both human and animal. He had had yet to encounter one but he had taken precautions in case he ever did.

A silver tipped arrow was in his quiver. It'd been tied town into the quiver unless he needed it.

It was just to wound the creature. The person that the wolf turned back into didn't even know what they doing. And he didn't like to take a human life if he could help it. Especially if they didn't know what they were doing. He found the wolf in the sheep pen of a hidden farm in the middle of the woods. Eight of the twenty sheep were dead and the wolf did not look done.

He had one opportunity.

His brother reared back and bared his fangs. The wolf sensed that there was an intrusion and turned to them. Gods, that thing was as big as a horse!

"Easy," he whispered to his brother.

The wolf…or whatever it was ran for him and he released the arrow. It embedded in the wolf's shoulder. The wolf yelped and ran for the trees.

The Huntsman cursed and took off after it. He tracked the animal by following the blood trail until he finally came upon a huddled figure curled up on the ground.

So, this was his wolf?

He bent down and took off his fur cloak. It was a girl who looked to be fourteen or fifteen and she was dressed in nothing more than a woolen nightgown. She would catch her death out here.

He checked her over for the wound and tried to understand how it was that she turned back with all her clothes intact.

Magic. It had to be.

She stirred when he placed the cloak on her, "What?"

"Shh," he told her, "You're safe."

"What?" She scrambled away from him, "What are you doing here? Who are you?"

"I'm the Huntsman," he explained, "I was tracking the wolf."

"Why am…..," she started crying, "And why aren't you tracking it now? Where did you take me?"

"I swear I have not laid a hand on you," he told her calmly. "I tracked the wolf after I wounded it and it led me here."

"But-."

"This wolf…is not a natural wolf."

The girl looked down at the trail of blood from the trees and a look of horror spread across her face, "ME?!"

He put his hand on her shoulder as she doubled over and started sobbing, "No…no, no, no, no, I'm not the wolf…"

"How else did you get out here?"

"Humans can't turn into animals!"

"And yet sorcerers force them to all the time," he kept his hand on her shoulder but still kept his distance, "What's your name?"

She just looked at him, unsure of how to proceed, "Everyone calls me Red."

"Alright, Red," he told her far more gently than he should have, "I'm going to take you home."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her up. She was barefoot and the snow was deep. He didn't want her feet to freeze.

"What is going to happen to me?" she whispered with her head on his shoulder, "Are you going to tell them what I am?"

"No," he said after thinking about it for a second, "I won't."

"What am I supposed to do?"

He thought about it again, "I'll find a way to save you."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

**Present Day**

The Huntsman was not needed tonight. The queen had no use for him as she was using her body to seduce one of the Kings in Exile to see her side of the peace treaty. It was a trap though. The minute he signed his name and she had her hooks into him, then she'd kill him or drive him into exile. She might keep him around for bit though, but Queen Regina never wanted someone who wanted her back for very long.

That's why she preferred him. He still didn't want her. She saw the defiance in his eyes and she liked it. Just as long as he kept his words to himself.

He'd been strong for years after she took his heart. He had to be. The minute he broke…or he returned her affections then she'd be bored with him. And with boredom came death.

He couldn't die. He'd been fighting so hard for so long to survive this.

Most everyone was in bed when he got up. He used the servants' quarters to get through as it had no mirrors in the hallway and down to the area where the hounds were kept. The doors were open; Regina let the mongrels loose on the grounds at night. The animals were half mad and half vicious and he never liked coming down here because he knew he couldn't stop how they were treated.

But it was important that he come here as most others didn't like wondering down here either.

He heard a whine and he went to the wall partition where the animal he swore was a monstrosity thirty years ago sat. The red cloak that he had made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin for was folded up and tied to her.

He didn't mother feeling afraid as he untied the cloak. She'd learned to control herself years ago.

The magic in the cloak shimmered, he watched as it ran off the cloak in waves. Rumpelstiltskin assured him that this cloak was rare. He told him he spun it himself. The price was his firstborn. But since there was no firstborn to speak of, the gift was seen as practically free.

The figure under the blanket moved. He smiled as Red lifted her head up. She looked like she was going to be sick. Turning back usually did that to her.

"Are you alright?"

"I killed a deer on the way here," she looked disgusted, "It doesn't taste as good now that I'm a human."

He gave her a cup of wine that he carried down here and she drank it greedily.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Nothing's changed."

The look in her eyes crumbled, "I will get you to safety. I swear that it won't be much longer."

"So Emma's moving then."

"Emma," Red put the goblet down, "Has made a deal with a pirate to get the ammunition needed to destroy Regina's troops; however we need a portal jumper who knows his way around the worlds."

"And you want Jefferson? He's probably dead by now."

"Doubt it. Not with Cora wanting to get back home."

"You'd have to invade Wonderland to get him back."

"That's exactly what she's doing."

He felt his heart start to race, "Will you go too?"

"I'm her main advisor and her protector, I have to go."

He wanted to ask her not to. Cora would slaughter all of them, but he had to have faith. If Emma's advisors agreed this was a good idea then he needed to have faith they had a chance.

But that didn't mean everyone would come back.

"Be careful," he whispered.

"Now I'll be fine," she said with a small smile, "We have the Dark One's son on our side. The Dark One won't let any force threaten the safety of his son, so I think we're a lot safer than we started out."

But he saw her tears. He rested his hand on the side of her face, and she broke. She started crying and wiped her eyes, "I wish we hadn't wasted time."

"Me too."

She grabbed him and pulled him in for a kiss. He returned and held her closer. He took a second to breathe in the scent of her hair so that he could remember.

"I'll come back for you," she promised

He wiped a tear from her eye. He wished he could leave with her…just leave right now but he'd be killed before he reached the wall. The same would happen to her if she tried stalking the halls into Regina's quarters. There were too many guards and she was too big in wolf form to be safe.

He placed the hatbox next to her, "You have to go."

She looked at the hatbox, "Who's getting the blame for that?"

"One of the Kings in Exile," he helped her remove her cloak, "He has a big enough army that he can give Regina a fair fight if it comes to it."

"I wish we had some of his men," Red muttered and her eyes turned gold

"If Regina crushes their forces and they're scattered, you just might get your wish," he told her. "And it might hurt her forces too. Which makes your job a lot easier."

"We can hope," she muttered and kissed him again before she turned, "I love you."

He waited for the transformation to be complete before he tied the hatbox on her and the folded cloak.

"I love you too."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

"That pirate's done nothing but leer at you since he arrived."

Emma looked up from the book she was reading and stared at Baelfire, "He's a pirate. He's done nothing but leer at all the women since he arrived."

Baelfire peeled an apple and scowled but didn't say anything. It was far too early in the morning and both were too tired to argue. They'd tried to sleep but neither one could until Red got back.

So here they were in the empty dining room of the inn. The innkeeper's wife had risen early to get the area ready for breakfast and she allowed them warm milk on the house. Now they just waited.

Emma hated waiting. She'd been doing so all her life with hardly any good results.

"I'd like for you to come with us to Wonderland," Emma told him and went back to her book.

Baelfire looked confused, "I was under the impression that I would be."

"Oh?" she looked at him. She had asked Red and the others but she hadn't asked him yet, "I wasn't…aware that you expected to go."

"Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged, "I don't know."

"Y-," he tilted his head, "Are you nervous?"

"I'm just inviting you because I trust you…and Red. I trust Red. I really don't trust the situation that I'm heading into blindly. A backstabbing pirate and a land I don't recognize could very well be a trap. Hook could be the bait…leading me into Wonderland so that I'm captured and Cora can use me to trade for passage back to the Enchanted Forest. She might even want my ma-," Emma stopped, "Anyway, you have a clear mind and I want that…anything can happen over there."

"Then why risk it?"

"Because I did the math…and I ran the scenarios through my head. My following grows every day…much like the other families that were able to escape but it's not enough. We need something big and if I can get ahold of this portal jumper and he's halfway sane….he could open us up to entirely new possibilities."

"You are aware that he disappeared before you were born, right? Those worlds could be very different than what he remembers."

Emma shrugged, "He's still the best option we have. And I don't need him to know all those lands. Just where something like what Regina has could come from. And how to get us there."

The door opened and a cold gust flew in. Emma stood and pulled her robe over herself.

Red stumbled in. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face was splotchy. She'd been crying.

Emma rushed over and hugged her. She didn't know what Red went through…being separated from her husband time and time again as Regina used him for her own sick pleasures. She tried not to arrange too many meetings between husband wife in fear that Red would get caught and both would be killed. But she knew her godmother was eager to get her husband out of there.

Soon. If this went well then they could get him out soon.

"No one followed me," She told Emma, "I made sure."

Emma nodded, "Eat something and get some rest. We go tonight."


	12. Chapter 12

**54 Years Ago**

It wasn't even the afternoon yet, and the miller was passed out in the wheelbarrow.

Just like he was every day. And just like every day, Cora remembered that had her mother stayed, then her father's drinking would not be this bad. She still remembered her…luxurious brown hair that fell down her back…she'd been dressed in the grey dress and brown fur cloak. It'd been a ratty thing. It'd been expensive once when times were better. But now it'd been worn far too much in the wrong conditions for it to stay beautiful.

Her mother had asked her to come with her…but Cora had refused. Safety was here. Millers were respected and they worked for the king! It was secure work. The world out there was wild and unpredictable. She'd be signing her own death warrant if she did that.

But now…as she saw her father wasting away his health and their money, she wondered if perhaps her mother had been right.

Cora put down her own wheelbarrow and shook her father, "Father. Father!"

"What?" he slurred. She winced at the alcohol on his breath, "I'm resting."

"You're always _resting," _she spat and broke the jug that held the disgusting beverage. The men wasted perfectly good potatoes for this? "This flour was due to be delivered this morning. I, for one, would like to be able to eat this week."

She lifted the wheelbarrow and started towards the castle.

And while on her way, she wished that one day, she wouldn't come back.

00000000000000000000000000000000000

They would not be eating this week. Well, they would be eating, but just scraps again. All because of a child. Cora and her father were going to starve to death because of a child and her 'ruined shoes'.

Perhaps they would not be ruined if she had not tripped her.

Well, eating tonight was out of the question, Cora wasn't sure she could stomach anything after she told her father what happened.

It wasn't even her fault and now she was certain he'd knocked a tooth loose.

It wasn't the first time it occurred to Cora, as she sat in her room, that her station would not rise above this. She would always be under someone's foot. They were on the bad side of the king now. He could easily execute them or leave them to starve if he was angry one day.

If she wasn't under the king's thumb, then she was under her father's, and when he died then she'd be under whoever wished to marry her for the mill. They wouldn't marry her for her; she was an unwed woman at thirty. All the girls her age were married. The men ignored her because her father was still alive and was running the mill into the ground.

She was not pretty, she was not graceful and she had no one to teach her what it was like to be a lady. The mill was in debt, her father was drinking the money away, and they might lose the king for a customer.

She couldn't do this anymore.

They said there was a man in the land that could grant a request…no matter how unholy. And Cora was at her wit's end. They said he liked a desperate soul and spending a week practically starving…possibly more, Cora wasn't sure how much desperate she could get.

So, she put on her best dress (Her only other dress), tried to brush through her hair and stood in the middle of the room, "Dark One, I summon thee."

Nothing.

That figured, Cora thought to herself after a few moments. He probably would end up disappointing her too.

And then she turned and found him sitting on her bed. A scream escaped her throat and she stumbled backwards into the small chest that held what little valuables that she had.

"Oh," the…gods, what that even a man? Whatever it was, it looked like it sympathized with her, "Tense, aren't we?"

The implications of him on her bed nearly disgusted her and she raised her eyebrows, "Could you not pick another place to stand?"

"I'm tired, dearie. I work all day. And this is the only furniture in your room."

This was not a man…this was a thing, "What are you?"

"What. What. What. What a rude questions!" he scolded, "I….am not a what."

"Who then?"

"Do believe you summoned me," he stood, "I should be asking who YOU are."

She cleared her throat, "Cora."

"Not a very pretty name, is it?" he said with a grimace, "Sounds like something breaking."

Cora was in no mood for games, "How did you get in here?"

"Through magic," he gave a small flourish, "Isn't that why you called me?"

"Yes well…," Cora cleared her throat, "I want something."

"Something what?"

"Something better than this," she told him.

"This isn't so bad, dearie. I came from a worse situation."

"And look where you are now," she noted.

He gave a nod, "What do you want?"

She hesitated, "I want to be secure."

"Please," he rolled his eyes, "Nothing is secure. You'll have to do better than that."

"I want…to be noticed. I want riches and I want power," she felt silly for rattling it off, "I want to hurt everyone that's hurt me. I want reverence and respect. I want to know that…any second, I can hear them begging for their lives if they displease me."

"You want to be royalty," he said in a bored voice.

And then Cora saw her solution. She'd worked for the king long enough to know that making a play for power was the easy part. Holding it was where the real trick was and there were threats every day. She wanted to be queen…to be able to control something…but she wasn't sure that would be enough. It would be foolish to give whatever would be required up so easily if she just agreed to royalty. He could take it in an instant if he got bored and then claim he never said how long she could keep it. She'd be letting him have power over her life and she did not want that to happen. Control over her life and rising above her station was why they were here now."

"I want magic."

"Yes, I know, that's why I'm here," he leaned forward, "You're slow."

"I want you to teach it to me."

"I…no…what?" he looked genuinely confused.

"Teach me," she almost pleaded, "Don't just do it. Teach me."

"And you'll learn to put on a pretty dress and make gold for the king and have a pretty little life and make the world bow before you," he mocked, "But what's in it for me?"

They said that the Dark One lived by himself up in the mountains. Even deformed, Cora could tell that he…seemed to be a man…as much as a man could be. He was at least part human, "I'll give you companionship."

"Companionship?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

Cora understood his implication and slapped his face, "What do you think I am?"

And then she realized her mistake. She'd just slapped the face of evil incarnate and it was supposed to be helping her. She might not leave this room alive. Gods, at least she'd find some escape.

He straightened up. His eyes were wide, he had this…odd smile on his face almost like he liked her spirit, "You're a spicy one, aren't you?"

Cora averted her gaze, "Forgive me."

He spread his arms and bowed, "Rumpelstiltskin."

"What?"

He looked up with a smirk, "My name. Do believe you just earned it."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Six Months Later **

It was amazing what a spool of pure gold thread would get a lady in terms of respect and standing

Her ability to spin had been the very first thing he taught her. He told her it'd been the very first magical thing she learned so it was only fair. He'd taught her to summon her hate and anger that was just boiling under the surface.

And through that, she could do all sorts of things. No one else knew though. Only the imp. Not even the fiancé that she had been given; the youngest son of the king. Prince Henry was not…very intelligent. Not as intelligent or charismatic as the imp but he would do. He seemed willing to at least perform his husbandly duties even though she older than him by five years.

She had her place secure. She was the provider of the kingdom and that made her invaluable. She had a position and a family now and she had power.

But it didn't feel like enough. There were several problems with her position of power. The other princes, Henry's older brothers, would have to die for them to take the throne. And their wives and the children as well.

That was a lot of bloodshed. Other kingdoms would oppose it. Her own husband might oppose it. She would have to find a way to quell any uprisings. This power…it wasn't enough. She needed more to protect herself and any children that this marital union might provide.

But in order to achieve power, one could not leave someone more powerful than them standing…no matter how much of an ally they had been

That's why she knew what she had to as she stood in front of the mirror, examining herself for the wedding.

"Enjoying the view as much as I am?"

Cora turned and welcomed the kiss. Six months of being in each other's presence constantly had changed a lot of things. No one cared where she was as long as she was at the parties and giving the kingdom the money it needed to help the bankruptcy. Not even her beloved fiancé seemed to notice when she was at the Dark Castle.

"How dare you. I'm a married woman?"

"Not yet," He reminded her, "Wedding's tomorrow."

As if a marriage to a mortal would stop him from this little relationship they shared, "Well, then it's alright."

He looked her over, "Love the dress."

Oh good, the wedding could commence, she had his approval, "Royal brides have to be snow white."

He giggled, "Gods, the irony."

She stared at the gloves. Here it went, "You know, I thought I wanted this…White and bright, all the admiration. But then I look at it…and what you give me…"

He leaned forward, "I can give you nothing but darkness and isolation."

She had that for years, "And love? Companionship? Trust?"

He smiled slightly, "Yeah, all that and more."

She almost felt guilty that she was using this…what they had against him. She'd spent enough time with him to know that this was what he desired most. And he spent enough time with her to know that this tender way he treated her was something she always wanted.

But it was no longer what she needed.

She took his hands, "I want that."

He stood up and rubbed her arms, "What if I, uh…. What if I amended our contract? Instead of companionship you we become...family. You give me children."

"But my kingdom," she looked towards the window, "What I've spent six months building…"

"I'll give you any kingdom you wish," he promised her, "All of them if you just ask."

It was too easy. Too easy a price just to bind herself to this one man and give him an heir. He could teach her magic and they could raise their child but one day…she wouldn't be looking at her lover…or husband or whatever it would be that they turned into but she'd be looking at her rival for magic and power.

She didn't work for all this to share it with someone more powerful than her.

"I can make that deal," she agreed.

"As can I," he promised.

She made sure to have doubt, "Can we really do this? Can we really have this?"

She had him; she could tell by that look in his eyes that she had him, "If you truly wish it."

"There is one condition…before we sign the new contract."

"What?"

"It's the King," she told him, "He humiliated me. He made me feel the way you've shown me I never have to feel. I want to kill him. I want to show him his heart before I do it. So he can see it and know what I'm doing as I crush it."

Rumpelstiltskin grinned viciously, "And that is why I love you."

She took off one of her glove and put it against his chest. She could feel it beating against her fingers. He wouldn't let her try to take his. He'd snap her neck before that happened, "Show me."

"I'll show you everything," Rumpelstiltskin promised

0000000000000000000000000000000000

She knew how to take a heart. Rumpelstiltskin brought her father there before her. The man that drove her mother away and then took it out on her by getting drunk and beating her when he did something wrong.

And now he lay dead at her feet. His heart was now dust on him.

"Now," Cora waved her hand and produced a contract and quill, "Shall we?"

He read through the terms and seemed satisfied, "Give me a quill, dearie."

She gave him the red quill she was holding. She was certain he could hear her heart racing. Just sign his name and she'd be secure….she'd be the most powerful being in the Enchanted Forest.

He looked up to accept the quill and then his smile fell when he saw it. She'd been caught.

"What a lovely quill," he cooed and took it from her, "Where on earth did you get it?"

She could lie…but there was no reason. They both knew she'd just tried to take his power, "A book in your library."

He took the quill and snapped it in half. The betrayal was obvious in his face, "Why?"

"Why do you think?"

"I want to hear it from your mouth."

"Don't make this harder," she whispered.

"You lied to me," he said angrily.

"Not at first," she admitted, "But then you taught me to never let anyone have power over me…and you would."

"That's a lie."

She held her head up. She wasn't a simpering young miller's daughter now. She had all she needed to be queen. She didn't need him to give her this world when she could just take it, "I'm sorry, my dear Rumpel. I'm not going with you. You see, I have a wedding to go to – my own."

He backed away, "You never loved me. Never. You tricked me."

"I had to," she told him while maintaining her gaze, "You told me not to let anything stop me until they're all prostrated before me. I fear that one day you might stop me."

"You're not getting away with this! We had a contract. I'll take everything from you! All your magic, all your wealth, I'll take it back."

"You can't take the magic, as it wasn't yours to give in the first place," she told him, "You just helped me hone it. And you may take everything, if you wish Rumpelstiltskin. I'll just take it all back by force…and that will mean more innocent blood. Fathers and mothers will be separated from their children. Could you really live with yourself if children were separated with their parents because of you?"

He leaned forward, "I will make you pay."

She stared at him sadly, "That's not a game I'm sure either of us would like to play."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000

**Present Day**

Emma held up a vial with blue powder, "Blue gave this to me once."

Bae took it at and turned it in his hands, "What's it do?"

"Strips a sorceress of her powers temporarily," Emma said as she and her army of twenty walked through the giant room towards the mirror. Legend had it that all the Wonderland portals were mirrors.

"Why haven't you used it on Regina?"

"We tried, but she could sense it before it happened got out of the way. 12 people died when she came after us," Emma told him, "And I'm not willing to sacrifice the one person that could try to get it done."

Red looked behind her and gave Emma a look that Baelfire couldn't completely understand.

Hook snatched the vial from Baelfire, "This will strip of her of all her powers?"

"Yes."

He opened it, pulled his shirt and vest down from his chest and sprinkled it on his chest, right over his heart."

"What are you doing?" Baelfire demanded.

"Trust me, just trust me…She's…not going to be happy to see me again. I sort of sabotaged her way back into this world."

Emma blinked, "Will I hear that story?"

"Perhaps," Hook stole a kiss to her cheek, "What will you give me if I make a big sacrifice and live through it?"

Emma rolled her eyes, "I don't know, maybe I'll let you pick a crime and if I get to be queen I'll pardon you."

Hook scowled, "It takes a lot to impress you."

"Indeed?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.

Baelfire smirked, he had no idea why.

They stood in front of a mirror. Emma studied her face and the face of the others behind her. Some of them might not make it out.

"Okay," she whispered and walked through the mirror. The mirror felt like she was putting her hand in cold water…but when she stepped through, she wasn't wet. She was completely dry.

Everything was bright….too bright for Emma's eyes at first. And then when she blinked and saw Wonderland she wondered what sort of rules this land went by when the mushrooms were bigger than they were.

There was shouting somewhere in the distance.

Emma nodded to everyone behind her, "Go. Like I told you."

Red tensed, "I didn't think you meant that."

"I'll be fine."

"What if it's a trap?"

Emma leaned forward, "That's why I brought my army and you."

"He could be turning you in," Red whispered.

"He could be," Emma noted, "But I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. The minute he doesn't…he dies first."

Hook shot her a glare.

"Also, don't eat or touch anything…because some things here…eat and touch back," he told them.

Emma gestured for them to leave and looked at Killian, "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Easy love," he put his hand on her back and eased her forward, "Reading people and situations is how I survived as long as I have."

"If the situation reads that you'll survive if you turn against me, will you?" Emma asked.

"Only if you betray me first," he told her.

"I won't if you won't," she said.

As the soldiers appeared around the corner, Emma raised her hands to surrender, "Now what?"

Hook smirked, "Just follow my lead."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000

They didn't search them. Of course they wouldn't. Why should they when their queen was a powerful sorceress?

The walkway they led them to had no railing. Emma stared down at the area below it. It was quite a fall.

There was an older woman on the throne, but not old enough to be Regina's mother…so either this wasn't her or she was using the same trick Regina was.

"Cora," Hook spread his arms out and gave a bow, "How wonderful to see you! You haven't aged a day!"

Emma watched as Cora glanced at her, "Who's that?"

"Oh….new lover, what can I say? I have needs."

She stared at Emma for a second and then looked back at Killian, "You have a lot of nerve here….coming back after what you did."

"Turns out Regina didn't like me much either, I had to go somewhere. I want to start a new life with her. It's…it's true love. I want to settle down and have beautiful babies that look like me."

Emma nearly rolled her eyes, but caught herself.

But Cora sensed a lie (It wasn't that hard) and shoved her hand in Hook's chest. Emma jumped; she'd never seen a heart actually being taken before.

Hook screamed in pain.

Something that looked like blue ripples covered Cora's body. Her eyes grew as she realized what they'd done and she took her hand out of her chest before it became trapped. Hook collapsed at her feet.

Cora gave them both a glare and realized she was now powerless, "GUARDS!"

One with an axe stepped forward. Emma produced a blade and threw it at the man's neck. He went down.

Fifteen minutes had passed, just like Emma instructed and her army poured into the front of the palace. Emma drew her sword and fought through the guards with her army until she reached the queen. Emma grabbed her by the throat and put a dagger at her throat, "Where's the Portal Jumper?"

"I imagine you're not just his newest lover, are you?" Cora asked.

"Where. Is. Jefferson?" Emma demanded.

"What's in it for me?"

"What do you want?" Emma asked.

"Regina," Cora said, "I want my daughter here."

"You're not in the position to negotiate for that," Emma told her.

"What will you do? Kill me? You can't. I imagine Killian's already told you that."

Emma drew her dagger away, "He did."

"Then what could you possibly do to me?"

Emma drew back and looked at her army. Only two of her people were dead. Five were dead on her end. Those that were not were kneeling in surrender.

Emma saw the knave of hearts…Cora's second in command cowering by the stairs.

Emma walked up to him, "Where is Cora's heart?"

"I-I-In her chest? I don't know."

He was lying.

"Right," Emma signaled for Hook. He wouldn't really kill him. She wouldn't let that happen, but he didn't have to know that.

He strode forward and shoved his hook against the man's neck, "I've always wanted to see if they're like us on the inside."

"Wait!" the knave said, "Okay! I'll tell you."

"Stop!" Cora screamed.

Emma turned and stormed back up the steps, "I can tear this whole palace apart if I wanted to, but I want to resolve this as peacefully as possible. I'm out of patience, I'll ask one more time… 'Where is the portal jumper?'"


	13. Chapter 13

**20 Years Ago**

Jefferson's blood pounded in his ears as he raced through the forest. His legs hurt, his ankle was bruised…he twisted it during his run. He couldn't think about that now though, he had to get behind a tree before he was found.

He jumped behind the biggest one and drew in a few breaths. His little bloodhound was getting faster….he was going to have to get in shape if he wanted to stay ahead of her.

"Papa, I found you!"

He gave a small proud grin to himself. That was his girl, "You certainly did. You must be part bloodhound, my dear Grace."

He pulled her up the incline to stand beside him.

Grace smiled happily at him, "Now it's my turn to hide and YOU seek."

He smiled sadly at his daughter; they'd wasted enough time playing unfortunately. Though he'd love a day where he could just play with her again. He just knew that wouldn't happen.

"I'm afraid playtime's over," he explained, "Though you can still use that nose of yours-."

He tapped her nose to get her to smile.

"-to hunt mushrooms. Enough to sell at market tomorrow. Do you think you can do that?"

Grace nodded; he grabbed his daughter's hand, "Ready or not. Here we come."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

They had found a good supply. Enough to be able to sell so they could eat for the next couple of weeks. Maybe Jefferson could negotiate for even more…maybe he could buy something nice for-

"Wait," he told his daughter as they nearly reached the house and he saw something he did NOT want to see.

"Whose carriage is that?" Grace asked.

Gods, no.

"The Queen's," he admitted and felt his heart start to race. Not here…not now…please.

"In OUR house?" Grace looked up at him, just completely stunned, "Do you know her?"

"Of course not!" he lied. He wasn't going to tell his daughter that story if he could help it. He never even told his wife and she knew everything else about him, "Now, listen carefully. Hey. I want you to stay hidden in the woods. Like our game. I'm going to find out what she's doing here."

He kissed his daughter's forehead and started forward. It was against everything he felt to willingly go to that house. He should just take Grace and go but there were other important things here that he needed.

He turned around and gave a smile to Grace to hide his turmoil. He looked behind him one last time to make sure Grace had disappeared into the woods and he walked past the guards and into his house.

The Queen was standing there, dressed in whatever in the 48 known realms that outfit was supposed to be. She was holding a doll he made for Grace.

His wife Lauren, was there too.

He felt a grip of fear as he looked at her and his son in Lauren's lap. The boy slapped his toy against his mother's knee contently. At a year old, he was already starting to be a handful. Keeping him from going to dangerous parts of the house was a full time job for his mother and him.

Jefferson kept his face unemotional and looked at his wife. She didn't appear to be hurt. She didn't appear to be angry either. She just…looked tired and strained. Entertaining royalty would do that.

"I'd like to say you're looking well, Jefferson, but I'd be lying," Regina greeted, "Poverty doesn't suit you."

He felt his wife's eyes on him as he stripped off his coat, "What are you doing here, Regina?"

"I have a job for you," Regina moved forward.

He gave a smirk, "I don't do that anymore."

"Yes, I heard you hung up your hat," Regina said, "Why? Is it because of your sweet little family?"

"Because of my work, my daughter nearly lost her mother," he said defiantly, "I don't want her to risk losing her father too."

Lauren lowered her head. He saw that she was closing her eyes, like she was trying to distance herself from that painful memory.

He wished that she could. If he could go back….

"So, now you're foraging for fungus," Regina said as if that was the most idiotic thing in the world, "What kind of future does your family have here with you? Do this one last favor for me…and they can have the life they deserve."

No, she was just playing on his insecurities of his poverty. He wasn't going to let it happen, "That's why I'm staying. You don't abandon family. That's….what they deserve. Now please leave."

Regina stood rooted, "All I need is your special skills to get me somewhere. Somewhere you've been before. Do it, and I can change your life."

She handed him a piece of paper. He opened it and heard his wife draw in a worried breath.

He looked up, "What business could you possibly have there?"

"Then find someone else to get it," he moved over and put his hand on his wife's shoulder. He was standing firm on this. He couldn't leave his family.

"I see," Regina smirked, "Hard living has strengthened your resolve. Well, I'm sorry I couldn't convince you, but I understand. There's nothing more important than family."

She wouldn't give up that easily.

She was going to try something and Jefferson realized that he'd made a mistake by refusing.

Regina swept out of the room and shut the door behind her. Jefferson let his uncaring resolve crumble and he knelt down to his wife, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Lauren nodded, "Yes, I'm okay. Where's Grace?"

He kissed her and then his son, "In the woods, I'll go get her when Regina's gone."

She nodded, "Jefferson….I didn't know what I should do."

"You did well," he promised her and held her. She was alive, so she did well.

And while holding his wife, he tried to figure out what he should do

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

Jefferson kept a close eye on his family all that day. He kept them inside so that Regina's spies could not see them.

And he let the doubt gnaw at him. About his situation, about his poverty and his fall from high society. He had married Lauren shortly after he helped Rumpelstiltskin corrupt Regina. He hadn't loved her, he was ashamed to admit it but he did not love her for a very long time. Far longer than he should have. He married her because she was young, pretty, rich, and she was not as shallow as the other girls he knew that were clamoring to get him in the marriage bed.

He didn't even love her when Grace was born. They got on just fine but it wasn't love and both were desperate to fill that void in their life.

Grace was a different story. He loved his daughter more than anything when he held her for the first time. He'd spent the pregnancy hoping for a son but when that little bundle was placed in his arms and he knew he had to protect her…he didn't care she as a girl. She was a part of him and he wanted to do what it took to keep him safe.

That's why he had taken that big job when Grace was four. He wanted to provide for her and it was supposed to be an easy job. He had just needed to escort someone off world temporarily. Lauren had even agreed to stand in until he got back. She trusted him to return. If she was anyone else, he would've taken advantage of that trust.

Maybe in a lot of ways, he had.

But when he got back with the man, he found out why he had to go. There was a threat on his life. He had left the worlds to escape it and when Jefferson forced him back, he found the house burned down and his wife near death. She'd been burned and beaten.

He didn't love Lauren then either. But he cared about her so much that he hung up his hat. Rumpelstiltskin healed the infection, but he didn't heal everything. Lauren didn't like the imp. She didn't trust him and she didn't want to owe him anything.

Her family screamed at her to leave him. To take Grace and come home. She stuck by him, and Jefferson didn't understand why she would. In the time it took her to recover, Jefferson did some soul searching and realized that he'd been a very horrible husband to her. He'd put himself and his wants over her so many times that he lost count. He realized with increasing guilt what he had caused for his wife and what it would mean for her forever. Those scars wouldn't go away…they would be there unless she listened to Rumpelstiltskin and let him heal her.

But he knew she wouldn't and he didn't blame her.

It was near the end of her second month recovering that he finally broke. She held him as he clutched her gown and sobbed into her lap for what he'd done and how he'd treated her.

"Why?" he'd asked, "After what I've put you through…why should you love me?"

"Because you are my husband," she told him gently, "For better or worse and there's still hope you can be saved from what you were. I can tell that there's a good man in you deep down there somewhere, I've just been trying to find him. Maybe this is the first step."

The money went quickly after he hung up his hat. He moved his family to a small hut in the middle of the woods after that. Neither he nor his wife knew that much about…working for a living but they managed to make ends meet. He turned her entire world upside down and she never left him. She never complained. She stayed with him even after her father disowned her for doing so. Everyone told her that he wasn't a good husband and he wasn't a good man. Even he had told her that.

But Lauren didn't listen. She was like her father. She made up her own mind and that was that.

And that was when Jefferson finally realized that he loved her. He had to lose everything for him to realize it, but he thought himself an idiot anyway. Now as they lay in that cabin, he could tell her he loved her and meant it.

They managed to work every day and lived as comfortably as possible.

And then his son; Jefferson, was born.

One child was hard enough to pay for. Especially one that grew like Grace did. But two was putting a strain on income. So much that he had resorted to digging up roots and mushrooms to survive while Lauren went to neighboring villages and demeaned herself to working the lowest maid jobs she could if it meant providing for her family.

They'd hit rock bottom. Jefferson knew that after Regina came to the house. He knew that as he watched his wife walked around the small hut trying to get little Jefferson to sleep that they deserved better than this.

He watched as Lauren finally got their son to sleep and placed him in the cradle. She tiptoed over to him and slipped into the covers, "So…exciting day."

"Depends on how you look at it, I guess," he stroked her hair.

Lauren sat up a little, "You never told me you knew the queen."

"It's something I'd rather forget," he told her. He would rather forget that he had a part in her corruption. Even if he knew that she could've walked away at any time.

"When did you know her?" Lauren asked, genuinely interested.

"Shortly after she became queen, we have a bit of a past."

"Before our marriage or after?" he heard the quiet concern in her voice.

"It was before I met you," he promised, "And it was only once. We were both lonely and we never spoke of it after it happened because she was a married woman to a king. I…realized that maybe if I was that desperate, then perhaps I could find another relationship a bit more permanent."

"I see," she whispered.

He took her hand, "I am a selfish man. I was never a good husband to you but I swear on my life that I was never unfaithful after we became betrothed and then married."

"Okay," she replied simply and lay on her stomach. She put her hand on his chest.

He took it and felt the callouses. When they first started this little adventure, her hands were so blistered that she could hardly close them.

But she never complained.

"Lauren?"

"Hm?"

"You and the children deserve better than this."

Lauren sat up quickly, "Jefferson-."

"What happens when the baby starts growing?" he launched into what he was thinking about all day, "Or we have another one? It'd only be just this once, I could go in and come out-."

"Jefferson, we don't need that life and we don't need to owe it to Regina," Lauren grabbed his face, "We need you. We don't need riches. Don't listen to anything she says. I've heard rumors-."

"Rumors are rumors," he said.

"I have a bad feeling about her. And a feeling that I haven't been able to shake all day. Please, Jefferson."

He looked over at his sleeping daughter. Grace needed new shoes before winter came or her feet would freeze. He wasn't sure how he could scrounge up the money for that and his boy was growing as well. He didn't want them to go without. This wasn't toys or anything, this was stuff they NEEDED.

He looked at his wife, "It's just an object. She just needs something. I'll be there and be back before you know it."

"I don't trust that queen."

"This isn't about trust," he told her, "This is about securing a life for our children, okay?"

She looked reluctant but gave a small nod, "Okay."

He kissed her. She deepened the kiss, pulled at him, and he caved, (he was a man after all) and he rolled on top of her.

When they were done, and she was sleeping in his arms, he looked at the scars that covered his wife still. She was ashamed of them; she tried to cover them as much as possible so that he and others couldn't see it. When they made love after the attack, she tried to insist that she keep the gown on until he convinced her that he didn't care.

She deserved better than him and she deserved a better life than he could give her.

She would be angry but when she was living a comfortable life again, then she would understand.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

The guards seemed to be waiting for him when he arrived the next day with his hat box in hand. He'd come alone. He spent the morning with his wife and family; he carried his daughter on his back on the way to market and promised his wife over and over again that they would be safe. He was securing a life for them.

She wasn't letting go of her doubts.

But this was for her and their children. He couldn't sit by and watch his wife work till exhaustion while he worked his fingers to the bone as well when they could do something about it. Anyone else would take this offer…all he had to do was get an object. It was simple. And his wife and children would be comfortable.

"Jefferson," Regina greeted when they took her to her sitting room. She was still wearing feathers around her neck, Jefferson never understood fashion. He had an eccentric touch that drew the attention of ladies but he never followed what high society thought was acceptable because he usually thought the clothes were hideous, "So good to see you looking more like yourself. I assume you're here because you've reconsidered my offer?"

Jefferson held her gaze, "I want your guarantee. That, if I do what you ask, my family will want for nothing."

Regina mockingly gave a bow and showed off her chest. Jefferson averted his gaze, "You have my word. Now, let's open that box of yours and see what it can do."

He took out the hat and Regina smiled.

"I do so like a man who dresses for the occasion."

She was blatantly flirting with him. Gods, if she added anything more to the end of their bargain…

He wouldn't go that far though. He'd never betray his wife after he put her through so much.

So he just looked at her and then put the hat down, "Step back."

That wasn't just him telling her to step away from the hat.

He spun it and they watched as the purple vortex circled filled the room.

"After you!" he screamed over the wind.

Regina held out her hand and smiled, "Together!"

He linked his arm in hers but there was no warmth in it, "Hold on!"

They jumped in together.

He never came back out.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Present Day**

"Get it to work! Get it to work! Get it to work!"

The room that the knave led them to was the biggest room that Emma had ever seen anywhere. It was stacked floor to ceiling with enough material to cloth an entire world for the rest of eternity.

"He's a bit…deranged. They call him the Mad Hatter here," the knave explained as they navigated through all the material. Baelfire accompanied her, but he followed behind.

"Yeah, I wonder why that is," he had muttered.

The knave glared behind him, but said nothing.

They followed the source of the mantra to the back of the room where a man was furiously trying to sew something together. His body was wracked with sobs. Emma saw that he was wearing a large top hat on with an odd fraction that she didn't understand.

"Get it to work! Get it to work," he whispered.

"He wants to reunite with his family," the knave explained, "That's been his goal since we found him trapped here. Regina took her father back and left a portal jumper here….well…former portal jumper."

Emma felt her heart break at this man's desperation. She felt her legs move forward and before she knew it, she was standing in front of him, "Jefferson?"

"SH!" he said, "I have to get it to work!"

"A hat?" Emma asked.

"She took it," he sobbed, "You're breaking my concentration! Go away!"

"Surely these hats work," Emma muttered.

"A hat without magic is just a hat and none of them work!" he cried, "I said 'go away'"

Emma knelt down and put her hand on his, "Jefferson."

He tensed; she saw his hand go for the scissors.

"Jefferson, it's time to go home," she told him without betraying her panic. She knew he might actually do it, "It's time to come home."

He looked at her, his eyes full of hope, "I did it? I got one of them to work?"

"Yes," Emma lied, "And I'm here to take you home."

He dropped the scissors and grabbed her face. Bae started forward but Emma held out her hand to stop him.

Jefferson stared into her eyes, as if he was searching for any sign of deception, "How long has it been?"

Emma held his wrists, "Regina just entered her 27th year of reign."

Unadulterated pain crossed his face and he gave another sob, "That long?"

"How long have you been here?" she asked, "Jefferson?"

Will you take me to Lauren?"

"Who is that?"

"My wife…my wife."

Her war could wait for right now. She could take him to see his family, "Yes, if I can find her, I'll take you to her."

He wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you! Thank you."

Emma couldn't breathe.

She looked over to Baelfire, who looked a bit uncomfortable. Emma wondered if he was thinking about his own family.

"It's okay," she held Jefferson for a few minutes, "It's okay."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"This won't stand."

Red rolled her eyes as she and the pirate stood in the room with this Queen of Hearts. She'd been making threats since Emma put them in here to guard her. AT first Cora thought that the soldiers would regroup and attack but they didn't. They probably hit the road a long time ago. Red knew that's what she would do.

Even this pirate was annoyed. He carved into the wood of the table with a scowl on his face as Cora threatened him and his safety.

"I spared your life because you were useful and this is how you repay me?"

"With all due respect your majesty; in the time we've met, you stuck your hand in my chest! Twice. And it hurt. I'm pretty sure any goodwill in our relationship is done."

Red smirked, "You two had a relationship?"

The pirate looked disgusted, "Not. Like. That."

"Oh, is there somewhere you draw the line?"

"If you're wondering which side you'd stand on of that line, I assure you that you'd still be very much on the side that I like," he let his gaze wonder over her, "I'm sure I could loosen you up. I wouldn't let age bother me; it's just a number when one is as old as I am."

Red did what her grandmother would've done if a man acted like this pirate did. She grabbed a knife and planted it in the table close to his good hand.

"If you think that's a deal breaker love, you are sorely mistaken."

Cora watched them, "Little trouble in paradise?"

"Don't make me ill," Red muttered much to the pirate's amusement. He'd gotten under her skin and he knew it.

The door opened. Emma walked in with Baelfire and one of the lesser advisors called 'Anthony'. Red saw in her hand there was a box.

And it was beating.

Both the pirate and Red immediately drew away when they heard it. Stealing hearts was an abomination of nature.

"Did you find him?" Red asked.

"Yeah, he's outside," Baelfire told her.

Emma took out the heart and she clearly looked uncomfortable as it beat in her hands, "The lengths that some people will go to remove what makes them human."

Cora's eyes grew, "No!"

Anthony moved behind Cora and forced her arms behind her back.

Emma looked Cora in the eyes, "I will not kill you because I have personal animosity towards your family. But Anthony here…has kindly agreed to stay on as a sort of king or helpmeet to pull this kingdom together. He is from a different world than mine. He will decide your fate."

Emma forced the heart through her chest. Cora's eyes grew and she gasped as the 'heart' took effect.

They waited…for something. For anything that would indicate any regret.

There wasn't any.

"Curse you!" Cora screamed and leapt up. Her hands curled as if they were claws and she went for Emma's eyes.

Emma moved away where Cora couldn't hurt her.

"She will get her powers back, Anthony," Emma told him, "Make sure the trial is fast and to the point."

"There's only one way this can end," Anthony told her.

"Yes," Emma nodded, "But I want it done right anyway."

"Yes your majesty," he bowed.

Emma opened the door. Red walked behind her and saw the hatter wasn't as old as she thought he would be…but that could be another trick of Cora's as his eyes betrayed that he was far older.

Emma held out her hand and Jefferson took it in both of his.

"Let's go home," she told her people.


	14. Chapter 14

**20 Years Ago**

Grace knew that something was wrong. Her mother and father didn't tell her anything of what was going on but she knew that it was important. Her dad even said when they were walking that everything would change and they wouldn't be poor anymore. He just had to do something for the queen.

But he said he didn't know the queen! Why would papa lie about something like that? Grace knew the queen wasn't….wasn't all there. Still, that could be something to brag about. Not everyone could say that they knew the queen.

Her papa was supposed to be home by now though…or he was supposed to meet them here, at the inn. Her mother had spent some money so they could stay here in town.

But papa hadn't come home yet and the money was running out.

Her mom was pale ….she was restless. Grace did her best to entertain her brother. He laughed and giggled as she made faces at him but even he seemed quieter than usual.

Mother insisted that they stay in the room with her. She wanted them close and as the time passed, she started growing more and more frustrated. The second night they were there, there was no money left. When the innkeeper came to tell her they had to move, Grace watched as her mother burst into tears and fell beside the table.

Grace picked up her heavy little brother and walked forward, "Mama?"

Her mother looked up with red puffy eyes and took her daughter's face in her hand, "We have to go, baby."

"But-," Grace looked toward the window, "Papa's coming, he-."

Her mother lowered her eyes and Grace knew….

Papa wasn't coming.

Grace felt the tears come to her eyes. No, he was coming, he had to come! He would never leave them!

What if he left them for the Queen?

Her mother stood up, "Pack warm clothes."

"Wh- why?"

"Grace, don't ask questions," her mother put her brother in a holder that tied to her back, "Pack warm clothes. I'm taking us to my father's."

"Did…did papa leave us?"

Her mother looked like she was about to snap but then stopped. Instead, she grabbed her daughter's face, "Listen to me, Grace. Your father would NEVER leave us."

She felt assured by that, but she still couldn't help but think…what if her mother was wrong?

"Now…," her mother took her face, "Get some clothes packed for you and your brother."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

Grace held her mother's hand and struggled to keep up with her as they walked a back road that her mother told her would take them to her grandfather's.

"Will grandpa take us in?"

"I hope so, Grace."

"How come we can't go home?"

"Because if the Queen is holding your father then she'll want to come after us next."

"Why?"

"Because she's insane."

"We could rescue him! We could-."

"The Queen is a witch and we wouldn't make it one mile close to her castle," her mother said, "Right now we have to assume that your father is-."

Her mother didn't say it but Grace knew.

Her mother thought that the queen killed her papa.

But why?

They walked a couple more miles and then they heard a horse whinnying a distance off.

"YOU! STOP!"

Her mother held her hand tighter and for an instant, Grace could see her fear in the moonlight. Immediately her mother grabbed her shoulders, "Grace…take your brother and go to the woods."

"What about you?"

"No arguing," She handed her her brother, "Stay near the road but don't travel on it. Go west. Keep going west until you reach Realmsmeet. There's a white house with a red door near town square. That's where your grandfather's house is."

Grace realized with growing fear that she might just be losing her mother as well, "Mom!"

"Grace," he mother grabbed her face, "Don't stay. Don't watch. Walk and keep walking."

She kissed her daughter and shoved her into the trees just as the soldiers rode up. Grace ran to hide behind a tree. She couldn't…leave her mother. She didn't know this place and she didn't know where west was! It was dark! And she didn't know how to get to Realmsmeet and she certainly couldn't do it with her little brother in tow.

The guards surrounded her mother, "Are you the portal jumper's wife?"

"I have a husband that fits that description," she said.

"Where are your children?"

Her mother didn't blink, "I have no children."

"Don't lie, the queen wants no quarrel, she would like to have you as guests for her castle."

"I have no children."

"Don't make this difficult. The Innkeeper that you left said you had a child and a baby."

"He mistook me for someone else. I have no children."

"Very well," the man said with resignation in his voice, "I'll have to take you then and hope the queen will be pacified. I'm sure she can convince you to tell us where your children are. She made a deal with your husband, you know. To take care of them and see to their needs. And she was going to give you a generous settlement if you gave them to her care but now it seems like she'll just have to force you to tell her. It won't be pleasant. You'll give up your children eventually"

Grace clutched her brother. She almost wanted to come out of the bushes but her mother would skin her alive if she did that. Her mother wanted to keep her out of their hands and it'd be for nothing.

Her mother didn't seem to like what they said because she moved for one of their swords. One soldier holding a spear shoved it through her back before she could reach it. Her entire body tensed and she fell to the ground.

"MAMA!"

They all looked up as the words left Grace's lips and she stared at her mother on the ground. She was struggling to breathe.

"They're in the woods. Find them."

But Grace was already running. She carried her little brother and tore through the foliage of the forest. She wasn't sure how long she ran but she felt like her lungs and heart were going to burst out of her chest at any moment.

They always sounded to close.

And then she felt a hand seize the back of her dress. She screamed as one of the soldiers lifted her up onto the horse with him.

But then something moved up to the horse and the man was pulled down from it. The figure grabbed the soldier's neck and snapped it viciously. Grace held her brother in her shaking arms and stared in fear as the person that just came to their rescue lifted his hood.

Gods, was that his face.

The….man…Grace thought he was, reached up and grabbed the horse's bridal, "That's enough of that, I think."

Grace cringed away, "Who are you?"

"Rumpelstiltskin," he said, "I'm here as a favor to your father."

Grace's eyes widened, "Can you take us to him?"

"Sorry little one, but I'm not sure that's in the cards."

Grace felt her heart sink and she buried her face in her brother's hair and started sobbing.

"They killed my mother!" she sobbed.

"I know," he whispered, "And one day, her death will be avenged."

Grace stared at him, "What are you going to do with us?"

"I'm taking you to safety little one."

"My mom said to go to Realmsmeet. My grandpa's there."

"Well, we should see what we can find then."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

**Present Day **

Jefferson stood in front of the white house with the red door and looked down at the papers.

Grace was here at least. There was paperwork confirming that she was here. After her grandfather died, he left it to her.

The Swan girl didn't have much of an army but she had people with her that could find anything.

But he couldn't find any information on his wife.

He stepped forward. He could do this. He could do this….

She would hate him. He left her twenty years ago…and she would hate him. How did he explain himself? How did he account for his age? How did he…tell her that he was separated from her because he wanted what was best and it backfired?

His feet felt like lead as he put one in front of the other as he walked to the door. His heart hammered in his chest as he rapped three times.

The door opened a second later and he saw a young woman in her late twenties with blonde hair and dark eyes. She opened her mouth to greet him but then froze when she saw his face.

The tears came then….he couldn't hold them back

"Grace?"

The pot she was holding dropped from her hands and shattered. He thought she might close the door in his face but instead she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Papa, you found me. I knew you would."

He struggled to hold onto his emotions ash is little girl…well, she wasn't so little now clung to him and cried into his shoulder.

Jefferson's legs gave out from under him and he collapsed against the cobblestones with his daughter holding onto his neck.

"I'm sorry," he whispered; his breaths gave way to hyperventilation, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000

Grace had grown into a beautiful young woman in the time that he was gone. She was a lady now….a wealthy one. Just like he always wanted for her and his family. He wondered if perhaps Regina had kept her promise at least for that.

Grace's hands shook as she served him tea. Jefferson looked down to see that his hands were shaking as well.

He was eager to ask about his wife and son but…he felt like he owed it to her to tell her what happened first. And the story poured out, he told her about Regina, and then Cora through his tears. He stopped his story several times to apologize for being so stupid. Grace cried with him. Sometime during the conversation, she took his hand and was sitting next to him instead of across. Jefferson hugged his daughter. She hugged him back. It was the first real hug he'd had in two decades.

"I thought I'd be angry if you ever came back," Grace said and rested her head on his shoulder, "If you came back. We never knew what happened to you. We thought Regina killed you."

"So…you didn't ask when Regina..."

"Regina didn't bring us here," Grace said sharply and he detected some grief, "She searched for us to try and get us into her castle. It was Rumpelstiltskin that brought us here and told grandfather in no uncertain terms that he was to care for us. Not that grandfather refused after he found out-."

"Found out what?" Jefferson asked when Grace hesitated.

Grace's eyes filled with tears and she clutched her hands in her lap. He saw a wedding ring; he wondered who her husband was.

Grace wiped a tear away, "W-when you didn't come home and the money ran out to pay for the inn, mother took us and took us down a back road to try and get us to grandfather's. She- the guards found us…mother hid us in the woods and when she wouldn't tell them where we were and tried to fight back when they said they'd torture her-."

Jefferson felt a growing dread as Grace talked. He knew it was coming, he knew what she was going to say next.

"They cut her down, papa. I watched from a tree as they killed her," Grace started sobbing again.

Jefferson felt his heart break. He had hoped…all these years that they at least had their mother but of course Regina wouldn't allow them that.

He slammed both hands against the table in front of him and he doubled over.

Lauren was dead.

She protected the location of her children when Regina was going to torture it out of her.

His wife was dead. His wife was dead.

"Papa, I'm sorry," Grace said, "I didn't know what to do to protect her. I should've…given myself up to them-."

"NO!" he said sharply. If Regina had raised Grace and his son…Gods, he shuddered to think about what would've happened. He shuddered to think what would've happened if Grace had refused to be taken in, "No Grace…you were nine…there was nothing you could've done."

"I always felt like there was something-," she trailed off.

"Where's your brother?" he asked.

Grace wouldn't look at him, "He was drafted."

Jefferson felt his heart sink, "By Regina's army?"

She stared at the floor, "I've been trying to use my husband's influence and my wealth to get him out but thus far I have been unsuccessful."

Jefferson ran a hand through his hair.

"Papa?"

They took his family from him, they killed his wife and now his son was serving in her army, "Is that what he wanted?"

"It's Regina's army. Very few want to serve."

Jefferson gripped the edge of the table and flipped it in his anger. Grace moved back and he automatically felt guilt, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Grace said and moved to a drawer, "I have…some of his letters if you want to read them."

His eyes widened. It wouldn't be much but it would be the chance to know his son or some of his son's thoughts.

She gave him the letters. He stared at them for a few moments and then tucked them away into his coat pocket carefully. He didn't want to risk ripping them.

"What about you?" he asked and looked at her wedding ring again, "Are you happy?"

Grace smiled and looked down, "Yes, Charles is very good to me. We grew up together…here…he was the one that really listened when I was…trying to recover from what I saw."

"Do you love him?"

"At first, 'no.'" she said, "Grandfather, as you know, could be overbearing. He thought that since we were close as friends, the match would make sense but I didn't love him. As time passed though…he and I did fall in love. He's mayor of the town now and it's flourishing. We're in a secure enough position now that we're trying to have a baby."

That gave Jefferson some guilt. No doubt her childhood poverty made her cautious at having children until she was certain they'd be secure. That was his fault. If he hadn't been so proud…maybe Lauren's grandfather would've helped them when the money ran out after he stopped portal jumping.

"You know, papa…if you'd like…you could stay."

He wanted to. Gods, he wanted to stay here and gets to know his daughter and get to know the man that married her. But at the same time, he knew that would be impossible. He didn't want to expose her to what he was. He spent all that time in Wonderland going completely mad. This was the most lucid he'd been in…gods knew how long. But she had thought he was dead. She had a life now away from him. Away from Regina's influence and power. If he stayed…and if Regina found out that he was here, he could bring that crashing down.

And he knew that the chance for bonding again was probably not going to happen anyway, he'd just missed out on too much. Too much that he could never get back and he couldn't expect Grace to just...drop everything in her life to be his support.

No, he had to avenge Lauren's murder. He had to find his son.

"Grace," he looked down at his hands, "Emma Swan brought me out of Wonderland. Do you know who she is?"

"A treasonous rebel and a usurper," Grace looked down, "At least that's what I have to say outside these walls."

"She brought me back for a reason," he cleared his throat, "And I think it would be best if I…helped."

Grace paled, "No papa! I just got you back."

"I trust Emma," he told her, "Thus far she's kept her promises. She told me that if I helped them…then I would be free to be with my family…or what's left of it. And I can use this, Grace. I can find your brother."

"Or get killed."

"Yes, that's possible," he said, "But if I stay and the wrong people find out…you could be killed as well. I will NOT risk the one child I know is safe and happy because I was selfish."

"You wouldn't be selfish, papa," she grabbed his hand, "You would be safe."

He put his hand on the side of her face and sobbed a little, "You wouldn't be."

Grace looked like she wanted to argue, but she realized her father made his decision. So, she accepted it and wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace and just…clung to her.

The family began breaking when he left to help Regina…he had to be the one that repaired it.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000

This town wasn't one of Emma's strongholds, which meant that she came into the town disguised and she stayed in the inn until Jefferson's work was done.

If he came back. Emma was already aware that she made a great risk by going ahead and finding his daughter for him before he did what they wanted. She would've felt guilty if she'd promised him the location of his daughter if he helped them though. Jefferson had already gotten enough of those sorts of deals in his life. So, Emma had his family found for him…she hoped he would take it as a gesture of goodwill and not a way to get what he wanted while he walked all over her.

Because then that meant she would've cost these men their lives and risked the army she took with her for nothing.

Well, it was something for Jefferson.

Baelfire sat with her at the table in the room. He stared off into the distance as Emma stuck the point of her blade in the table and spun it, "I wonder what it'll be like."

"What?" Baelfire asked her.

"Finding my parents," she looked at him. It would, of course, be a good time to convince him to reunite with his father, but Emma knew how that would end. Baelfire had pretty much stated that he had gone through a lot of suffering due to his father. Emma couldn't force him to meet with his father just because it was convenient for her, "If they're alive."

"Do you think they are?"

Emma pulled her knees to her chest, "If they were killed….Regina would've announced it. I have to believe they're alive for that reason alone."

Baelfire looked down, "Do you think they want this for you?"

"Probably not," Emma stretched her legs out, "But I have to. I have to protect myself, and I have to protect these people."

"And people from other worlds?"

Emma looked up at him, "I wasn't aware that me protecting another world from an evil sorceress come from our world was a problem."

"It's not. I just don't agree that giving her what will amount to be a mockery of a trial was the best solution. Especially when you left someone else to do it for you."

"Anthony is an unbiased person."

"Nobody's completely unbiased, Emma. He's had to have made a conclusion about her and Regina by now."

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" Emma asked, "Stay there and do the trial myself?"

"As leader and future queen, yes."

"Okay," Emma adjusted her position, "If I stayed….and oversaw the trial then I would've pressed my own biases into the verdict. There was a chance that if I had her executed; it wouldn't be because it was the right thing to do, but because she has ruined my family. That's vengeance. And if she died because I wanted revenge then that means I might get a big black spot in my heart that takes longer to heal than it does to earn it."

"I just think there could've been another way."

"What other way?" Emma asked, "Do I let her stay over there? Do I bring her over here? Both of those carry extreme risks. Far more extreme than the closest thing Cora will get to a fair trial."

"I know that," Baelfire told her, "But just…don't get too comfortable having your advisors do a job that perhaps you should do."

Emma knew he had a point. If she wouldn't oversee Cora's trial, then how was she supposed to oversee Regina's?"

"I won't," she promised.

He gave a small smile and leaned back, "Gods, it's so nice and quiet with the pirate back at the other village."

Emma laughed, "That it is."

"Wonder if he'll still be alive or if your godmother will have taken care of him." "

"I think he's scared of her now," Emma said

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone's scared of Red if you make her mad enough," Emma told him, "Once, she-."

The door to the inn opened. Emma grabbed her knife and turned, ready for an attack.

But it was Jefferson, standing there with the clothes they bought him and wearing the cravat to hide the grotesque scar….

He'd been crying.

Emma stood. Since they'd found him in the state he was in, Emma felt responsible for his safety. Every night since they found him, it was the same. He had horrifying nightmares and he attacked anyone that went into the room to wake him.

Except her.

That was another sign for her in hoping that he would at least get them to where they needed to go. For loyalty to her saving him.

"Did it…go okay?"

"Yes," he cleared his throat, "It went well. I met my daughter and she forgave me"

Emma nodded, "Good. Good."

"My wife is dead," he said…as if he was still completely stunned.

"Jefferson, I'm sorry," Emma whispered.

Jefferson looked up at her, "I'll do what you want. You fulfilled your promise, I'll fulfill mine."

Emma looked at Bae and then back at him. That was a lot easier than she thought it would be, "Okay."

"I have one condition though."

"What is that?"

"I help you get this…artillery or whatever it is…but it's a one-time thing. But then if you…if you help me find my son and you help me get him out of Regina's army then I give you my word then I will stay with you until this war is done."

Emma shrugged, "Okay. Where is he?"

Jefferson took out some papers, "Ask me in about an hour."


	15. Chapter 15

The ride back to the village was difficult for Jefferson, Emma, and Baelfire. It rained constantly, which slowed their progress down. By the third day of nonstop rain, everyone was in a sour mood and Jefferson slipped further into his own depression. He wouldn't talk to anyone. He just read those letters over and over again. It was a miracle those didn't get wet but he'd used some money to buy a waterproof coat and the letters were hidden in his jacket.

Emma and Baelfire had also tried to buy waterproof jackets and they got cheated. By the time the first day was over, they were soaked to the skin. Emma shivered and rode on the same horse as Baelfire so they could share the body heat but it didn't feel like it was any good.

But finally, the fourth day, the clouds cleared away and the sun came out…the attitudes of the three seemed to lift. Jefferson was still quiet, but he sat up straighter and seemed surer of himself. Baelfire was quicker to smile and even though Emma was certain she was about to catch certain death, she felt her spirits lift as well.

"So, if you're three hundred years old, you must've seen a lot of weird things," Emma said as the noon sun finally dried them off.

"I have," Baelfire told her.

"You're three hundred years old?" Jefferson asked.

"I've seen wars fought and won. I've seen kingdoms rise up and fall."

"How can you be three hundred years old? When I asked Rumpelstiltskin to make me immortal, he just laughed and said that's reserved for famil-," Jefferson's eyes widened, "Are you the Dark One's son or brother or nephew or something?"

"Yeah, I know all that," Emma said, "But what's the weirdest thing you've seen?"

"Well, I didn't see much, I was more than content to live on my farm and raise my family but…um…when I was fourteen I was with my father when he made peace between the humans and the ogres."

"What?" Emma asked, "Peace between the- when did THAT happen?"

"When I was fourteen?"

"Yeah Emma," Jefferson scolded, "Pay attention."

"I have grown up hearing stories about Ogres all my life. I've heard how they raid villages and take people to the camps for dinner. I've heard how the fight for territory is always in dispute but I've never heard of a time when there was peace!"

"It was! My father went out and stopped the fighting and brought the soldiers home."

"I don't believe you!" Emma teased, "How come there aren't stories about that, then?"

"Is there ever a good story about my father?" Bae asked, his mood suddenly took a sour turn.

Emma frowned…and things were going so well, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rub salt on an open wound."

"No, its okay," Baelfire said quietly, "My father wanted to attain the power and use it for good but…well...the being isn't called the Dark One for nothing. And then he had…almost absolute power and he could do what he wanted. And then next thing I know…Queen Cora pops up with the ability to wield magic and then Regina comes after her able to do the same. I know my father had something to do with it. So, you want to know why he was willing to help you as long as you got me to talk to him? Because he's the one that put them in the place that they're at and he regrets it."

"You mean…all this could be solved if you talked to your dad?" Jefferson demanded, "Why don't you just do that?"

"Because talking is never just what he wants," Baelfire kicked the horse into a trot, "He always wants something more. Or I end up trusting him and believing he can change only to be proven wrong and someone gets hurt. I understand your war and I understand why you want to end it and dethrone Regina. And I understand that you want to find your son and reunite your family. But I've been doing this dance with my father for three hundred years. And every time it ends very badly. The last time, he-….,"

Baelfire tensed and Emma heard the grief in his voice. She put her hand on his shoulder, "You don't have to tell us anymore."

Bae was quiet for a few seconds, "There are just a lot of unresolved issues."

"Okay," Emma said quietly.

"You two want to know the weirdest thing I've ever seen?" Jefferson asked, "There's a whole world in my hat without color."

Baelfire looked up, "You're making that up!"

"I am not!" Jefferson sounded offended, "IT's true! The only things that were in color were me and Rumpelstiltskin who is apparently your father. I didn't know he could reproduce…."

"That makes no sense!" Baelfire protested, "What do they call greenery?"

"I don't know," Jefferson shrugged.

"Do they even have colors?"

"I don't know," he said again.

"Do you think that maybe the people there can just see the colors and you can't?"

"I don't know!" Jefferson protested, getting irritated.

"Don't you ask these important things?" Emma asked.

"There were monsters chasing us. Asking why a rose wasn't red hardly seemed important."

Emma's eyes widened, "I want to hear that!"

Baelfire nudged her, "Sh…"

"Why?" Emma looked around.

"You know how you have your scouts make it obvious that someone is watching?"

"Yes?"

"We should've seen someone by now…"

Emma tensed. Her heart started racing. Without a word, she reached around Baelfire and grabbed the reigns. She jerked the horse to the left where there was a hidden pathway. Jefferson followed close behind. The horses broke into a run.

Baelfire was right.

If the scouts hadn't made it obvious then something was wrong.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000

Ten minutes later, Emma guided them to a hidden camp. It was supposed to be where the refugees went in case they were found. The camp was supposed to be empty with the exception of maybe two people to make sure everything stayed intact.

When they arrived, there were about twenty people there. Some in the small cabins…others in tents they had pitched.

"Emma!" Someone cried out. Everyone immediately left their tents and shacks. They bowed as Emma passed.

Hook came out of one of the shacks and gave a quick bow, "We were starting to think you were dead."

"What happened?" Emma demanded.

"Soldiers came on us four days ago, out of nowhere. They tried to gather the villagers in the middle of the town. Regina demanded to know where you were but no one would talk so…they slaughtered everyone. There were some of us that were able to fight our way to freedom but…not many."

Emma felt her eyes fill with tears. How were they found? Who betrayed them? This pirate standing before her? He had arrived only a few days ago…no, that would obvious. Honestly, it could be anyone; a spy, a dissatisfied villager…

But then Emma noticed the absence of someone, "Where's Red?"

Hook moved to the right and pushed open the door. Emma swallowed and walked inside.

The shacks were supposed to be used for higher ranks but they'd been turned into an infirmary. Five people lay in the bed. Red was the furthest away. Her torso was bandaged and she was deathly pale.

"They were on her before she could escape," the captain told Emma, "They broke several ribs and stabbed her in the side. I, as well as others, was able to get them off. Most of them didn't make it."

The pirate saved the life of one of the people that distrusted him most…Emma wondered why he would risk his own life to save someone else's.

Unless it was a ruse and he was trying to get her to trust him.

No, Emma wasn't going to let herself be suspicious unless she had a reason to be suspicious.

"It's a miracle that she's lasted this long," one of the villagers told Emma, "We were waiting for you."

"The rain slowed us down," Emma told her.

"Awful convenient that it rains for three days after an attack, don't you think?" Baelfire asked.

"Rain makes mud, mud makes tracks," Emma noted, "We have to get out of here. Get something put together so that we can transport the injured."

"Where?" Hook asked. "Where are we going to go?"

Emma gave a small smile, "Your ship wasn't in the docks, was it?"

"No."

"Good, where is it?"

"Are you asking me to use my ship to transport people that have no idea how to sail a ship like mine?"

"Well, I don't see what the problem is," Emma said, "You want that artillery…we can't go anywhere unless it's secure and there's nowhere secure but your ship right now. And we can move everything directly on your ship. We don't have to worry about…loading and unloading and things like that."

Hook smiled wryly, "Do I have a choice?"

"Do you want that pardon? I can't give you that pardon if I'm dead."

Hook smiled again and gave a bow, "Your wish is my command, my lady."

"Wonderful," Emma moved over and took Red's hand, "If anyone needs me, I'll be helping to get the wounded ready for travel."

Baelfire moved next to her, "I'll help you."


	16. Chapter 16

Regina figured that after 20 years, she should be secure on her throne. Her enemies should be either dead or scattered. Personally, she preferred the former but the forests were quite easy to get lost in if one really wanted to.

Twenty years, she had conquered her world. She had done what her mother couldn't do completely…or wouldn't do. She wanted Regina to finish the job; she wanted to teach Regina how to handle power. You didn't sit around waiting for alliances because alliances would eventually turn. You went out and took what you wanted.

Or you manipulated an alliance. That's what her mother had her do when she made a marriage arrangement for Regina to Leopold. The promise had been that Cora would not smash the troops if Regina became his second wife; the first having died two years ago.

And Regina had been forced to forget Daniel as the lives of hundreds of innocent people was hung over her head by her mother. They would die if she didn't go through with the arrangement.

But in trading her freedom for everyone's safety, Regina traded her sanity as well.

Something simply snapped on her wedding day. It was imp's fault; he gave her the mirror to rid herself of her mother. …but her mother didn't come into the room until after the marriage had commenced. Regina was a married woman by the time her mother had gone through that mirror.

But her forced marriage wasn't why Cora was now banished to Wonderland.

It was because Snow White…her beloved stepdaughter told her mother that Regina planned to leave with Daniel after dealing with her mother and the looking glass.

For her wedding present, Cora gave her a box containing what she claimed was Daniel's heart. She told her that if she wanted it so badly then she could have it, but she would never see Daniel again

And Regina sent her through the mirror.

She truly lost her mind then. She begged the imp to teach her dark magic. She didn't have love, then she would take power as a substitute. It wasn't her fault she was like this; she blamed her mother, the imp, Snow, Leopold…even Daniel sometimes. If he had been more cautious…if he had…

Regina never saw Daniel again. She'd tried everything….every finding curse that she could find but it never worked. So the heart beat in her vault until one day…it just stopped.

He was dead.

Regina had no reason to doubt that was his heart. Her mother never lied.

That was what hurt Regina the most; the knowledge….the certainty that Daniel was gone. If her mother had lied to her before, then she could always believe her mother had lied to her again. That Daniel had escaped and was living somewhere abroad. But her mother never lied and so Regina had lost even that hope.

And so it was power that she turned to. She stayed the dutiful loving wife as well as she was physically able to. The marriage became cold in just a few years…and Regina couldn't bear to be a stepmother to Snow. It was her fault completely that this happened.

She spent years secretly building her army. Her husband was neglectful in his attention to her…she came and went as she pleased and she had her own men at her beck and call. He didn't mind at first and then he just didn't care. Her aloofness had turned him away from the prospect of being happy and instead he chose to just love the memory of his deceased wife.

And then she struck thanks in part to a gullible genie and a few lies and seized control of her husband's throne and took the rest of the free realms by force.

She'd had peace for about twenty years. Snow and Charming tried to challenge her after Snow ran off to the forest and met her little true love but they'd been smart enough to go into obscurity once Snow had learned she carried her idiot husband's child.

Emma, her daughter, was not so smart. Regina knew all about her. They said she looked like her mother. They said she had long blonde hair and green eyes and an easygoing personality and smile. They said she had a way of reading and understanding people, especially the lower class. They said that she could tell which was truth and which was lie.

Regina believed that Emma only had support because she was so different to Regina. What did this child know of being a queen? What did she know of anything?

She was a 17 year old brat who had not earned any of the support she had garnered.

Everyone spoke of her around Regina. They called Emma a usurper and rebel as well as other names but Regina knew that in secret they cheered for her. This little guttersnipe wasn't content with finding a husband and bearing children in a small little village where she could be safe. She was more concerned with taking back her birthright; she was more concerned with restoring 'honor' to her family's name.

As if Snow and her beloved 'Charming' knew what honor was.

No, she was moving from village to village rallying support and troops. She had the hat. She had to have the hat because Regina knew that that no one else was stupid enough to touch it.

But how did she get it?

Well, that was obvious. Regina didn't even need to collect proof, she just had to interrogate.

And she knew exactly who to talk to first.

Regina liked to think she'd grown used to holding beating hearts in her hand but holding a beating heart still made her feel uneasy at times. Not because it was a human's life. It just felt beneath her by this point. She wasn't much for doing the dirty work herself anymore.

The Huntsman didn't want to talk to her at first. He lied to her when she questioned him so she took out his heart from her vault and now he had no choice but to answer her questions.

"Who did you give the hat to?" Regina asked and circled him.

He was completely tensed. Regina could see the fear in his eyes. He tried to resist her. He tried to clench his teeth together but the magic overruled his free will, "My wife."

Regina stopped. She narrowed her eyes and circled him, "You have a wife?"

"Yes."

"I didn't know of this?"

He gave a small smirk, "You never asked."

She angrily squeezed his heart and he crumbled to his feet, "Why do they need the hat? Who are they looking for?"

"Jefferson."

Regina cursed. If they got Jefferson, then they got access to all the worlds he knew about. He knew about worlds and their cultures…or at least how they were 20 years ago but that was still more than they should have.

"Who else do they have with them?"

"A pirate."

Regina's head shot up. Then she felt the anger light up inside her, "Hook…."

"She's aligned herself to the pirates."

Regina stared down at the heart in her hands, "Then I will simply hunt down and kill every pirate I find so that her little sea army can't fight."

"Good luck with that your majesty, pirate ships are far faster than the royal navy."

Regina felt the anger kindle, "Is Rumpelstiltskin with her?"

"No."

Good, then there was still hope, "Where is she going?"

"I don't know."

"Where are her other posts?"

"I don't know."

Regina held up the heart, "Then what good are you, Huntsman? Other than a spy that I can force to work for me while everyone thinks you work for them."

She saw the panic in her pet's eyes, "You won't get it to work."

"Are you so certain of that?"

"My wife will know immediately if I'm being influenced. She's intelligent enough to know if she's being spied on," he smirked.

Regina's hand tightened on the heart, the anger was so bad it made her shake, "And who is this…wife of yours?"

"Red Riding Hood," he told her and she wasn't entirely sure she had influenced him this time, "And she's far more of a woman and person than you will ever be."

Regina lost her temper then. She'd done so much for him. She gave him a place among her guard. He had a nice life here…good food, good company…she let him grace her bed whenever she wished it and this was how he thanked her? '

For some…rebel peasant and werewolf?

She'd been made a fool of for HER?!

Regina angrily squeezed the heart then. She watched him collapse in pain but she didn't let up. She felt the heart pop in her hand…but instead of blood, dust poured out.

And the Huntsman was dead.

Regina looked the guard beside her, "Bring the others in here. Show them the price for spying on me."

She grabbed another heart box and swept out of the room. Her heels slammed against the floor as she held her chin high and walked to the dungeons where the acquisition she had acquired a year ago still sat.

They hadn't cut his hair or let him shave. They didn't need to; it wasn't like he was going anywhere. The large shackles saw to that after the fourth time he tried to escape.

Well…other things had seen to that.

Regina took out the heart from the box, "Rise."

The man did so…Regina wrinkled her nose…he would need a bath before they sent him out to do what she needed.

"Emma escaped again."

"Good," the man sneered.

"On a ship. The Jolly Roger. Where would they go?"

"I don't know, Emma's getting her own support together; we never rallied towns or pirates behind us. We just wanted to be left alone...too bad you never allowed it to happen."

Regina cursed and tightened her grip on the heart, "Is that so, Prince Charming?" Regina sneered and looked at the heart, "Well, I didn't want to do this, but I suppose I have no choice now. You're going to find your daughter for me."


	17. Chapter 17

All Emma's life, she had been close to Red. And in all those years that she'd known her, she'd been the strong one of their family. Sometimes even more strong than her mother and father and Emma thought that admirable.

So now, to see her laying in a bunk…her skin and lips so pale that she almost looked dead, it just cemented the situation for Emma.

They'd lost one of their strongholds. Most of the town was dead and if there was a spy tracking where they were going…he could be on this ship this very minute.

Killian realized that as well and so he was travelling to a list of safe ports that Emma had given him to drop off these people, injured or not. Emma didn't want to part with these people, but she understood. She'd lived with them and worked with them and knew them…however she couldn't trust them anymore and they were far better off away from her if they were being tracked.

She didn't want any more blood on her hands.

The injured were moved out first, leaving just Red in the bunk for now. Emma didn't leave her friend's side. Hook's actual crew came and went. Emma kept a dagger on her for that very reason but they never bothered her other than to take their hat off respectfully when they came in.

These men would sell her out faster than whoever told Regina where they were if Emma wasn't careful.

She looked over to her godmother. Red was just barely hanging on. If she lost her then she wasn't sure what she would do because Red was always the strong one. Red always knew what to do and for all the responsibility piled on Emma, she was still very much a 17 year old girl.

If something happened to Red, then she'd be trapped on a boat where the only real ally she had was Baelfire…possibly Jefferson but she didn't know him well enough yet.

And if Red died, then what was Emma supposed to tell the Huntsman?

They'd been separated for years because of Regina…and Emma couldn't let all that waiting be for nothing if Red died.

Too much blood had been on her hands as of late. How was she supposed to protect a kingdom if she couldn't protect a town?

The door opened and Emma wiped her eyes quickly. She didn't want the pirates to know she'd been crying, they'd take that as weakness.

But it was just Baelfire. He was carrying a plate of food, "Hi."

The smell made Emma's mouth water but she wasn't sure if she could stomach it, "Hi."

"How is she?"

"Um," Emma wiped another tear away, "She hasn't awakened yet …but the wound stopped bleeding…and it's healed."

"How in the name of the gods did that happen?"

Emma froze. No one knew what else Red was except for her, but she trusted Baelfire, he had a dark one for a father, surely a werewolf was nothing, "Because she's…not completely human…"

He tensed, "Should I be worried?"

"As long as she keeps a cloak on when the full moon is up? No."

"Oh, a werewolf," Baelfire noted, "A werewolf on a ship with nowhere to run and the only thing that keeps her _her_ is a giant piece of cloth."

"That sounds right," Emma noted.

Baelfire sighed and ran his hands through his hair, "You should know that Jefferson has been getting off at the docks and inquiring about his son. Being a father myself, I understand completely what he's doing but as an advisor for a war I have to be reminded that that could give away our position if the wrong person recognizes him."

"I'll talk to him," Emma said tiredly. When was the last time she'd even been able to sleep? She didn't want to go to sleep now because Red would wake up soon.

"You want to talk about what happened?"

Emma felt a tear slide down her face, "No…"

He shut the door a bit better and put the plate on the table, "Emma, what happened at the town wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known"

Emma felt her voice break," But I'm responsible for these people, Baelfire. I can't…sit here and interact with them and then brush off their deaths. These people protected me. They took me in and did what they could for my cause. And now they're dead and I don't know who sold us out or why. For all I know…there could be a list or something out there with everyone's name on it. If they're scattered then Regina could pick them off."

"Or…," he knelt down and took her hands, "Or they could blend in a lot easier and go into hiding if they're scattered."

Emma felt her chest tighten and she started sobbing harder, "What if we fail and it was all for nothing? What if they died for nothing just like everyone before them that tried to stand up to Regina?"

"They will not die in vain," Baelfire promised and gave her a handkerchief, "Would you like to know how I know? Because they had farmers for soldiers. We have pirates, a princess, a werewolf, a half insane portal jumper and the dark one's son.

Emma smiled despite herself, "A ragtag group of people."

"They always win," he promised her, "Dry your eyes, now. I don't want your werewolf godmother to think we've been making you cry."

Emma gave Bae's cheek a gentle kiss, "Thank you."

He bowed, "Princess."

He slipped out of the room just as Red started to stir. Emma was at her side immediately and smiled down when her godmother opened her eyes, "Hey."

Red smiled slightly, "Hey."

"How are you feeling?"

"What happened?" Red whispered, "Where are we?"

"Hook's ship."

Red tensed, "What?"

"No, its okay…we're safe. The town was attacked, do you remember?"

Red stared at the ceiling, "Bits and pieces."

"It's probably better that way," Emma took her godmother's hand.

"How many?"

Emma felt the tears again, "Most of the town."

Tears welled in Red's eyes, "Gods…."

"I failed them," Emma whispered and gave a quiet sob.

"Emma," Red brought down Emma's head to her shoulder, "Shh.'

Emma clung to her godmother and sobbed into her shoulder.

How did she protect a realm if she couldn't protect a town?

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00

Red was still weak, and so Emma half held her up and half carried her to the meeting room that also served as the captain's cabin.

Emma was sure that was done on purpose for Hook made it quite clear that the only bed in the entire ship was in his room.

Subtlety was not one of the pirate's strong suites.

Red leaned on Emma as they walked through the door. There was a desk in the room. Baelfire, Hook, and Jefferson were already in there. Emma saw that Killian had a large bottle of rum that he was passing to Jefferson.

"I wasn't aware that we were interrupting a party," Emma muttered.

Jefferson saw Red and immediately stood to help. He led her over to the seat that he was sitting and helped her down.

"Thank you," Red whispered.

"We are," Killian poured two more glasses, "Lifting our glasses in toast of your fallen compatriots."

Red lifted an eyebrow, "You're getting drunk."

"There are a thousand reasons in the world to get drunk, sweetheart," Killian said, "Death seems like one of the more acceptable ones."

Red seemed to accept that and took a glass, "Don't over indulge, Emma."

"I won't." Emma took her own glass.

Hook looked at Red, "But you had a wound close to your stomach…"

"Oh don't worry about it, _love_," she repeated his own word with a bit more of a bite to it, "I can keep up."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

"This taste is terrible," Emma muttered and stared down at….whichever of the three glasses was the actual one. The next drink was going to be a bit tricky and if she spilled it all over herself then she was just going to be embarrassed.

Bae took the drink of his lips and pointed to Emma, "No one drinks this dreck for the taste."

"Better than the ale at your tavern."

"Drinking anything not meant to be liquid is better than the ale at the tavern back home."

Emma burst into giggles and let herself fall against him, "It was so bad."

"It wasn't the best."

Emma grabbed the back of the chair and pulled herself back up into a sitting position and smiled at the way he was looking at her, "Where did you get your eyes?"

"Um…," he looked thoughtful,"I've always had them."

"They're beautiful," Emma couldn't take her eyes off them, "I think I want my children to have eyes just like yours."

He blushed, there was only one way a child of hers could have his eyes, "Do you realize what you just said?"

"Ask me again when I'm sober," Emma leaned against him after a second of thinking.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000

Red had her feet tucked up under her next to the hatter as they made small talk. She kept a careful eye on Emma and Baelfire talking over on the other side of the room. She and Rumpelstiltskin's son were getting a bit close. Red wasn't sure if she liked that or not.

Better than the pirate that was now dancing around the room.

Or swaying drunkenly around the room wiggling his hips occasionally.

Red couldn't wait to mock him tomorrow.

"Do you have any kids?" Jefferson asked.

"No," Red whispered and felt her heart sink, "I….um…didn't think it was wise."

"Because of the war?"

"That," Red acknowledged, "And I'm part werewolf…passed down from my grandmother to my mother to me. I didn't want my child to go through the same thing so I took a barren curse. I got married to a Huntsman and we were together a short time before Regina took him from me. Perhaps it was for the best that we never had a baby."

Jefferson looked down, "I'm sorry."

"I think I'm a bit too old now," Red smiled wryly, "But I have Emma. I've helped raise her since she was a baby…if She's the closest thing I'll have to a daughter I'm fine with that."

Jefferson smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and then looked back down at the letters in his hands. "I think my son supports Regina."

"Brainwashing and propaganda will do that," Red whispered, "

"What happens if we can't shake him from it?" Jefferson whispered, "I mean, it's not outright stated in the letters but I can read between the lines. What if….what if we win but I lose my son?"

Red wanted to comfort him…to assure him that he wouldn't but that could be false hope for all she knew, "I don't know."

"I can't have done all this just to lose my son," Jefferson whispered with his hands shaking.

Red didn't know what to do…other than just to take his hands in hers and give them a small kiss, "We'll find your son."

"Hey Emma!" Killian drunkenly yelled from his spot on the floor and gestured wildly for her to come over to him, "Dance with me!"

"Ask me again when I'm sober," Emma told him.

Killian frowned, "I don't want to do that! You'll say no!"

"We're drunk, Killian. You'll fall on me."

"I promise to keep you close to the bed in case that happens!

"Excuse me," Red took her hands away, "I think I have to handle this."


	18. Chapter 18

**224 Years Ago**

It smelled like death.

Baelfire couldn't breathe the room was so rank but he never left Morraine's side. He held her withered hand and listened to her struggling to breathe.

It was a sound that stabbed him in the heart every time he heard it and he struggled to keep his composure in front of their children.

The children were old now…Gretchyn Dyllyan, Rumpelstiltskin….the six that followed after them. They had children of their own…even grandchildren though Bae couldn't remember all of their names there were so many. Some lived, some didn't. The ones that were still alive and mobile were here to see Morraine off. She'd stayed a loyal wife and a strong mother but after decades, she was ready to go.

And Baelfire may be selfish but he wasn't ready for her to pass on to the afterlife.

He would be alone. Yes, he would have his children but they would pass on soon as well. So would the grandchildren…he just barely had a relationship with them, they'd grown up and moved on with their lives. They couldn't understand how he still was so young as their grandmother aged

They thought he was enchanted, they thought he was unnatural and he knew they were right. The great grandchildren were uncomfortable around him; they didn't understand why he had made such a sacrifice as giving away his mortality while his wife aged beside him.

He didn't know if they were aware of why he did it…..to save his third child who was now married into nobility. He was happy with his little wife…they'd had many years together.

Of course his wife was gone now. Baelfire was terrified his son's haunted look would be in his.

Bae felt his wife gently squeeze his hand and he looked down at her and smiled, "Hey beautiful."

She gave him a loving smile, "Not so beautiful anymore."

"You're just without your makeup is all," he smiled and brushed knuckle down her face, "Get that on and you'll be twenty-three again."

She stared up at him with that same loving look she'd had since they married in their late teen years, "I'm not scared, Bae. I've lived a good life"

"I am," he whispered, "I don't know if I can do this without you."

"You can, you were always the strong one."

"I thought that was you," he whispered.

"I just made you think that for competition purposes," she said, "But now it's time for you to be strong."

Baelfire felt the tears start to fall, "No Morraine. I can't do this without you, you kept me grounded…we can…we can fix this…we can ask my papa…he'll age you backwards…."

"Bae…I'd just grow old again."

"We could fix it to where you didn't have to. We could-."

"Bae," Morraine whispered, "I've made peace with my death….I'm ready. To go back and live it all again….we agreed that you wouldn't put this burden on me."

Bae took her hands and kissed them. He'd known this day would eventually come. Though how did one prepare for it? How did one prepare for watching their wife and children and grandchildren all look older than them? How did he hold his children in his lap and spoil his grandchildren and know that one day he would outlive them?

He wasn't sure anyone could prepare for that any more than they could prepare for this.

Seeing their wife die.

He kissed her for what he knew would be the last time and he held her hand against his cheek, "I love you."

"I love you too," she said and closed her eyes.

Baelfire wept and held onto her head.

"Papa," Gretchyn pressed her hand on his shoulder a few minutes later, "She's gone."

For three days after that, no one could comfort Baelfire as he sobbed on the floor.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

**Present Day**

Sobbing woke Emma up from what little sleep she was getting. She'd slept in worse places. She slept on rock hard ground but nothing was as bad as this mattress. It smelled like rum and body odor.

Emma wanted to be a pirate when she was little. Just this smell dissuaded her completely. If the mattress smelled like this then what did the men smell like? She was so thankful Killian thought to take a bath before he came to see her when they met.

The sobbing woke her up, the smell took the drowsiness away…and she realized that the sound was coming below her, she realized who was sobbing.

She slid out off the mat and dropped silently to the floor. Through the dim light of the lantern, she saw Bae jump.

"Emma," he whispered and wiped away his tears; "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"You didn't," Emma lied.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I'm still drunk and hungover and-."

"Baelfire," Emma said quietly.

"When my first wife died," he started, "After she died….I had a really hard time."

"I'm sorry," Emma told him gently.

"When I see people die, it doesn't sit well with me…I guess it doesn't sit well with others but this is bad…I've buried a lot of people, Emma. Some naturally…some not. And whenever I see people die, I have nightmares for weeks. We buried three people on this ship since we set out…it awakens all sorts of memories."

"I'm sorry," Emma whispered and sat on the edge of the mat. Well, this one didn't smell so bad. She shouldn't have used her princess status to call dibs on the top bunk.

"I was hoping to get so drunk that I didn't dream but…it didn't go like that obviously."

"Guess not," Emma muttered and looked down, "I don't know what it's like to go through what you have…I have my own horrific nightmares but I imagine nothing like yours."

He wouldn't look at her, "When I had my wife next to me…my second then third one…the nightmares were easier to deal with."

"Reaching out to someone is a very comforting thing."

"You've shared a bed with someone."

"My mother when I was a child. My father would patrol the house at night….it was a little one room shack…I remember the roof leaked when it rained but my father would stand out in it and the snow to make sure the soldiers didn't come. Then he'd come inside, close his eyes for a bit and then he and my mother would work in the fields. After they disappeared, Red and I travelled in a small caravan for a while…we worked where we found work. We shared the back of a wagon. I reached for my mother figure then too. The nightmares were worse then. Never a husband or a lover though. I've never found the time nor have I ever trusted anyone enough to do so. It's a very lonely life being a princess on the run."

"Perhaps one day you'll change that."

Emma looked down and swallowed nervously. The words were out of her mouth before she could think of it, "I trust you."

Gods, if that ended badly, she could at least still claim she was still drunk.

He sat up stronger, "Emma, you are very young and I'm flattered but-."

"I don't want _that,_" Emma said quickly, "Not…no. That'd be very….uncomfortable in a bunk…with our friends sleeping close by and I just don't want it. But I'd at least like to have someone to reach out for…because I did know these people that we buried."

He moved over, "It'll be cramped."

"Trust me," she laid next to him, "This is heaven compared to what I've just been sleeping on."

"I don't expect to sleep," he muttered after they settled down.

Emma didn't either, she'd never shared a bed with someone not a maternal figure in her life, "If it doesn't hurt too much…you could tell me about your kids."

"You want to hear 24 stories?" he asked…and she heard the pain in his voice.

"What else do we have to do?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

She heard Baelfire quiet for a bit, and he started talking about his oldest…Emma lost count of how many children he told her about before he finally fell asleep.

And Emma pulled the covers over her and went to sleep as well.


	19. Chapter 19

**23 Years Ago**

The snow outside was three feet outside, and the wind whistled and rattled the shutters so hard that Red could not sleep. Just the idea of being out there later sent shivers through her but they had to hunt. The villages nearby would pay out the nose for furs and meat right now. She and her husband were the best hunters in the area; they could get it in no time.

Just as long as they kept a percentage of the meat.

In the small times that Red turned into her wolf form, her hunger was ravenous when she returned to being human. They had to keep spare meat on hand for when she gave in to that other side of her.

She had more control over it now…and sometimes it felt good to 'stretch her legs'.

Being a human was so confining sometimes.

Beside her, Red heard her husband stretch and turn over to her, His bare arm found its way around her and held her close, "Thought I wore you out."

"Just have to keep trying is all," she kissed him playfully and wrapped her arms around him.

"I don't think I can, I'm too tired."

Red smiled at him through the darkness and cuddled up against him for warmth. She'd been sweating earlier as they made love under the pile of furs but now the heat was seeping out of the room and she was starting to get cold.

Now would've been a good time for the wolf's time, she was never cold when she had fur.

She felt her husband rub her back and she propped herself up on her elbow, "I've been thinking."

"Uh oh," he muttered.

"Maybe we should adopt a child," she took his hands, "Since I can't have one."

"I thought you didn't want children."

"You are aware that you asked me that when we got married six years ago, right?"

"You never showed any sign that you changed your mind," he moved on his back, Red tucked herself into his side, "Are you sure that's what you want? Babies running around? What will you do during wolf's time?"

She shrugged, "I can control it now. Anyway, I have the cloak; it just happens at night…I'd be fine. We'd have children and we'd be a family….after this time I think we're secure enough in our marriage to bring some little ones or older ones here."

He stared at her with those piercing eyes. When he'd asked her to marry him all those years ago, she'd been so happy to stand at his side at the altar. She'd worked for months on her dress. Her grandmother had been….less than thrilled. The idea of Red falling in love with the man that had met her by hunting her had not warmed her heart.

And of course no one would be good enough for her granddaughter.

But here they were now. Six years and still going strong…the love they shared for the other hadn't faded like some girls Red knew when they married. But rather…it increased…it multiplied somehow.

"We'll talk about it in the morning," He promised.

She nodded, "Okay."

She dozed for a while…but her senses were still alert. She heard horses pull up but didn't pull herself from her sleep until she heard someone pounding at the door.

Her husband climbed out of the bed and pulled on his pants. Red pulled one of the furs off the bed and put it around her shoulders and threw it around her body.

The queen's soldiers were standing at the door. Red looked at them and felt her heart start to race. Creatures like her were hunted. They were hunted down and killed. A werewolf fur went for a lot of money these days. The soldier handed the Huntsman an envelope. Red watched as the soldiers saw her and didn't take their eyes away until they left the porch.

Her husband shut the door and read the letter, "Sweetheart?"

"What is it?"

"Pack a bag and visit your grandmother for a while. The queen wants my assistance."

Red felt a bad feeling in her stomach. She didn't know if it was her senses or Regina's reputation but she was worried that something was going to happen, "You can't."

"They're waiting for me, I have to," he said grimly and burned the letter, "Go ahead and go to your grandmother, I'll come back for you when it's done."

"I have a bad feeling."

He stepped forward and embraced her…she could feel his tension, "You're not the only one, sweetie."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

**Present Day**

There was a small coastal village of supporters that Emma and Red knew about, but they never told anyone about it. Red never even told her husband because this was their place of communication. Emma's spies all sent their communications here. If they lost this town and the letters were found and decoded then the lives of everyone that supported Emma was at risk.

Red was the first off the boat. They were on solid ground but she was so used to the boat now that her legs felt like they were swaying and the ground was moving underneath her.

They couldn't stay long. Just enough to get supplies, maybe take a hot bath and leave again.

Emma and Baelfire walked side by side behind her. She knew they were sharing a bunk, everyone knew that they were sharing a bunk. They'd sleep separately until they were certain that everyone was asleep and then curl up together until morning when they'd go back to their own bunks before everyone woke up.

But Red knew…and so did Jefferson. They both heard them whispering together in the night and they seemed closer together during the day.

Red didn't like it.

It was more than just her being a protective godmother who didn't want her goddaughter to end up married and pregnant before they found her parents. Baelfire was 300 years old. Emma was 17. There was an age difference there that Red did not like.

And besides, he was the Dark One's son. Red knew that wasn't his fault and didn't hold that against him, but she really didn't like the idea of her goddaughter being related to Rumpelstiltskin through marriage. The Dark One might seek out to use her since she had a legitimate claim to the throne.

Red didn't confront either one of them, not yet. Emma trusted so few people that she didn't want to isolate her from anyone else.

While Hook and Jefferson went to get supplies, Emma and Red went to see if there were any letters for them.

Emma got a stack. She had spies everywhere and they were submitting their reports. Emma had about a month's worth to catch up on.

"Enjoy the reading material, you majesty," the postman said and looked at Red, "Message for you too."

That got Red's attention. The Huntsman didn't know about this place, she conducted her business in another village where he could reach her.

She accepted the letter; it was from one of the spies at the palace. Red didn't have much contact with them. She had at first when Emma started out, but as Emma grew into her role of leader, Emma took over.

Red opened the letter with shaking hands. If they wanted to contact her, something was wrong…

In the letter was only one sentence.

_Regina knows about the Huntsman's betrayal, he has been executed. _

Red scanned the letter over and over…not really comprehending the words on the paper

No, he was lying….

Emma looked up from the letter she'd started on…one of the more recent ones. Her face was pale; her eyes were filled with tears, "Red…"

A scream erupted from Red and she collapsed on the ground. Emma went to catch her. She wrapped her arms around her but Red couldn't feel it.

Regina killed her husband.

No words formed in her mind. She could only wail at the top of her lungs until her throat hurt.

Her husband was dead.

They were never going to see each other again. They would never reunite when all this was over.

He was dead. He was dead because they couldn't protect him.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The Queensguard soldier didn't want to be here, if he hadn't been drinking on the job, then he wouldn't be here. His superiors told him that it was for the best…that way Regina didn't find out and kill him. She didn't like people screwing up on the job.

He would take death over being in this bloody coastal town.

He had to play a butcher. He was a spy for her majesty but he didn't think anything would ever happen. This town was suspected of being supportive of Emma and her parents but that wasn't a crime really, most of the world was supportive of anyone that wasn't Regina.

The Soldier would be supportive of anyone that wasn't Regina if he didn't have to work for her.

But then one day a pirate's ship came into the harbor. The soldier had never seen a pirate ship before, so he closed up the butcher shop and went to go see it.

Then when he approached the docks, he saw a small crowd by the mailroom.

The door opened and he turned and felt his stomach drop when he saw the Swan walking out.

She was here?

She was supporting a dark headed woman. A dark headed man in a goatee helped support her but the woman leaned mostly on Princess Emma.

A man in a large hat came forward, followed by a man dressed like a pirate. Emma gave some sort of order and they moved towards the ship together.

His luck finally paid off.

It was time to get on her majesty's good side.


	20. Chapter 20

**1 Year Ago**

They'd fought together, they'd done so for several years so Regina shouldn't be surprised that they worked so well together.

She watched from the shadows as her men were killed, one by one. There was a pile of bodies lining up and soon Regina was going to run out of men.

She should send someone to hunt down that little guttersnipe that was their child. She finally knew what this Emma looked like; she could get wanted posters up. This was an area that supported her. They could weed her out in a matter of days. She wouldn't travel by day….not if she could help it; the woods were much easier to disappear into during the night.

Her head guard dodged a swing from Snow's sword and hit her hard in the face. She stumbled slightly. Charming or whatever his true name was turned and raised his sword. Her head guard blocked it and sent a kick in Snow's midsection.

Regina smirked; she hoped that broke a rib.

Charming tried to go after him faster. Snow crawled away from the fray and tried to catch her breath.

Regina gestured to three of her men, "Take him."

"Your majesty, he-."

"He's getting tired and Snow is injured, "Take him alive."

They charged him at once. Charming tried to block them off but they come on too fast. They broke his sword arm and wrestled him down. Regina smirked and walked towards him. She could end this…she could end Snow's life right here.

But then what would she have? As eager as she was to end this, Regina was fully aware that she didn't have anything else to occupy her time. Looking for Emma? That would be resolved in days.

She'd done what her mother couldn't do. She'd taken the world, and she had her victory over Snow right here. What else was there? She refused to marry. Not again. He'd take everything away from her.

She had it all. It was going to end tonight.

Well, there was no reason why it couldn't be special, now could it?

Regina stood in front of Charming, in the corner of her eye, she saw Snow standing up. She wasn't intimidated. Snow was hurt. She couldn't cut through four men to get to Regina.

She ran a hand down Charming's sickeningly handsome face. What a waste to end such a handsome life now.

So, she didn't.

She shoved her hand in his chest. He screamed in pain as her hand closed around his heart and she ripped it out of his chest.

"NOOOOOO!" Snow screamed.

Regina looked at Charming as Snow backed up, "Kill her."

Being slaughtered by the person you loved most? Regina couldn't think of anything more fitting.

Snow realized that it was hopeless. She raced over to a bannerman, pulled him down far enough to slash his throat, pulled herself on the horse and raced towards them. Regina waved her hand; a wall of fire separated them.

Snow was sobbing; Regina could hear it through the crackling of the flames.

She turned her horse around and kicked her in the sides; she rode off into the forest.

Regina looked at her new toy and then back at the heart in her hands.

The game continued.

And for a strange reason, Regina was relieved.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000

**Present Day**

"There is no wind."

Emma's neck hurt when she turned. Her godmother was practically catatonic in the bunk; Emma had pulled up a chair to sit with her. She dozed on and off against the small walls that separated the bunks.

Jefferson stood in front of her. Since she'd saved him, he'd been extremely loyal to her. He reported everything he thought was important, the things that Killian wouldn't see fit to tell her.

"What do you mean there's no wind?"

She'd been down here for over a day, she knew that. Baelfire brought her and Red their meals down here. She measured time by that alone.

"I'm pretty sure it's self-explanatory," Red snapped, but she kept her back to them.

"Emma, we don't have a wind, the ship is relying on currents to move…there hasn't been a moon in two days when there should be a full one, the sailors are starting to think that it's an omen…I think they might be right, I think something is going to happen."

"And what do you expect me to do about it?"

"They're….starting to think that it's because of you."

Emma straightened up, "What?"

"The thing the sea gods or whatever are cursing them or something."

"Or Regina's found us," Emma stood, "I Need to see the Captain."

"What's the point?" Red whispered, "We'll run again and she'll just catch us again, and more people will die, we don't have a true army, we don't have anything. Even in the off chance that this works…then what? Let's say that you get your army….let's say that we find a place where you feel safe enough to spin that hat, let's say that we get that ammunition you need, and let's say that we arm the pirates and cut off the major supply routes that supply Regina's army…and let's say we scatter them and defeat them and dethrone an evil sorceress who rips people's hearts out…then what? You'll have a mess to clean up, you'll have Regina's followers to weed out and you'll have to hold onto your throne without becoming like her or even just losing who you are….you think this will be your happy ending? Well we all get a glimpse of that preverbal happy ending, don't we? Just to get it ripped away"

"Red," Emma started but Jefferson put his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay," Jefferson nodded. He sat on the chair that Emma had been parked in for the last day, "Red….look at me."

She scoffed but she humored him and turned over to look at him.

"Regina took everyone I loved from me. For about twenty years, I never saw my daughter…and I never got to see my son grow up. I don't even know if my son is alive right now. And their mother….," he stopped and tried to gather his emotions, "She suffered through so much and didn't deserve to die like she did. For the twenty years I spent in Wonderland, I thought that escape was impossible. I thought that rescue couldn't possibly come. And then one day it did…in the form of a lost princess and the people that were loyal to her. You rescued me with a plan that was so simple, it just had to work…you did something impossible, Red. You were a part of that. I have faith that we can do this. We have my hat. And the minute we get away from Regina's gaze, then we can use it and we can bring in supplies…we can dethrone her. We can do this Red. And you can get justice on your husband's death?"

"And then what?"

"Emma will have you," Jefferson told her simply, "There's no reason to fear that she'll turn out like Regina."

Red slowly sat up with Jefferson's help. Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped them away, "I didn't want a royal position, I just wanted _him _and now he's gone…what else do I have to look forward to now?"

Emma knelt down and took her godmother's hands, "I still need you."

Red's face crumbled, she put her hand on Emma's hair and rested her face on the top of her hair. Emma wrapped her arms around Red's neck, and Red hugged her tightly, "I'm sorry."

"We'll get her," Emma promised, "I promise."

The door opened after they held each other for a few minutes, Killian walked in with his hands raised in a surrender position. Emma noticed that his hook was gone, "Emma, we got visitors."

"What?"

He moved to the inside of the room.

Her father was standing there behind him. He had a dagger aimed at Killian's back.

Emma sat there…stunned for a second and she took in her father's face. He looked exactly the same after a year's separation.

How did he find them?

Emma knew in the back of her mind that something was wrong. There was no moon to light their way, there was no winds to move them…they only had the currents. It was dark magic and her father just happened to show up?

But it was her papa…and she just wanted to look at him

"Papa?"

He grinned at her, in that way that he used to when she was young and they were safe…but it didn't quite reach his eyes, "Emma, you're alright."

"Emma," Red started.

Emma stared at her father, "How did you find me?"

"A little luck, people saw you at the last town you were at. Is your mother with you?"

"Emma," Red said more sharply, "He's got Regina's scent all over him."

That confirmation made Emma tense and she looked at her father. He tried to swing the dagger at her. Emma felt her heart leap to her chest and she fell backwards to avoid the blade.

Red rushed forward at an inhuman speed, and grabbed Charming by the neck. He smashed his arm down on hers, she loosed the hold. He drove his knee into her abdomen and hit her in the face. Red stumbled but rushed at him again the minute he stepped towards Emma.

Jefferson went to restrain him as well. He grabbed one of Charmin's arms when Charming grabbed Red's hair and twisted her head at a painful angle, "Get off her."

"Papa," Emma stood up. She was terrified of hurting him, she saw it in his eyes, he wasn't in control.

"What's going on?" Baelfire demanded as he raced in.

Charming broke free of them and rushed toward Emma.

She couldn't kill her father, though. How was she supposed to defend herself?

Emma's hand closed on a bag full of potatoes and she hit her father with it. He stumbled enough for Baelfire to pull him away from Emma. The others were on him as well.

Emma felt a tear roll down her face as she stared at what she imagined was her heartless father. If she didn't do something, they would have to kill him. He wouldn't stop coming at her," I'm sorry, papa."

She lifted her foot and slammed it against his knee. His leg buckled with a sickening crunch. Charming stumbled with a scream and he fell to the ground.

"Help me get him into the hold," Killian opened the seat of what Emma sometimes used as a bench.

Bae and Jefferson grabbed him and lifted him up. Charming screamed in agony when his leg was moved.

"Emma!" he looked over at her, "Emma please!"

Emma turned away, she felt like she was going to be sick.

They dropped him down into the hold. Killian shut the door, "He won't be going anywhere."

"What do we do?" Emma demanded.

"He came with soldiers," Killian handed Emma a dagger; "I'd really like them off my ship."


	21. Chapter 21

Emma stared down into the hold of the ship and felt her stomach twist when she saw the figure. Where she saw her father was hunched in a corner, making himself as small as possible. His leg was twisted up, Emma had broken his knee, she'd hurt it so badly that he couldn't walk. Red said she'd heard him dragging himself across the floor earlier when they sat there and quietly discussed what they should do.

Her papa looked up and saw her standing on the deck above him, "Emma! Emma, I'm sorry. Please let me out. I thought the pirates captured you…I panicked and lost control, it won't happen again. Emma…just please come down here and talk to me."

She wanted to believe it, but this wasn't him. This wasn't her father. This wasn't the man who taught her sword fighting or carried her on his back for miles when she was tired and they were moving to the next hiding place. This wasn't the man that taught her songs and taught her how to snare animals so she could survive if something happened…

This wasn't the man that, when he came home exhausted from work, still pulled her up in his lap and let her tell him everything about her day even until he was so tired he fell asleep sitting up. This wasn't the man that held her close when the storms scared her as a child and talked Snow into letting her sleep with them.

This wasn't the man that told her that one day she would wake up and not fear for her life because Regina would be defeated.

No, her father was gone. He was replaced by this man…this slave who had no free will of his own. He wasn't her papa just because he had her papa's face. He was someone entirely different. She couldn't trust the one person that she COULD trust without question because he was replaced.

Emma tried to stay inexpressive. She tried to stay calm because that's what a queen and leader SHOULD do but inside she was screaming and sobbing. Her father was gone; he might not ever come back.

"What does Regina know about us?" she demanded

"What? Regina? I don't know! Emma, I've been looking for you!"

Emma really wished that was true. It was unlikely that he would tell her about Regina of course…she would forbid him to do so. But Emma liked to hope that maybe…

Maybe her father could fight it.

"I'm sorry papa," Emma told him, "I don't believe you."

She shut the grate and walked out of the crew's quarters.

"Emma! Emma please! Think about what you're doing! Emma! Emma, come back!"

Emma drew in a deep breath. Jefferson was standing out in the hall, Baelfire and Red where a little ways back.

"Emma-," Red started.

"We don't have time to play around anymore; we don't have time to get to a safe and secure place. Get the hat ready, we're going today."

"Emma, we don't have the funds yet," Red protested.

"Then we can start negotiations," Emma said angrily and strode away from them, "Where's the captain?"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000

Captain Hook was waiting at the helm when Emma came above deck. He was looking at some sort of parchment. Emma didn't see what it was but from the way the sunlight shone through, it looked like it might be a drawing.

Killian looked up when she climbed the stairs to the helm and gave her what he probably thought was his most winning smile. He tucked the picture in his coat, "Hello beautiful. Get your father tucked away?"

"How many did you lose?"

"Three men," He said grimly.

Emma put her hand on his shoulder. To some pirates, the men on the ship were as good as family. From what Killian hinted at, these men were the only family he had, "Killian, I'm so sorry."

"We captured twelve of them, five are left alive…the others tried to escape."

Emma looked at the five of them, they were sitting on their knees, their arms were shackled behind their backs, their ankles were all chained together.

"What'll happen to them?"

"Well now that depends…some think I should make them walk the plank, some think I should leave them marooned on an unlivable island with a knife and let them kill or butcher each other….and some think I should just execute them now."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet," He said.

Emma looked at him, "Could we let them go?"

"Don't be insane, Emma."

She felt stupid for saying it, "They might not be evil…they just might be…trying to survive. They might have wives and family's waiting for them to come home…"

"Not everyone is Graham and your father," Hook told her, "when you fight this war then you'll be fighting a lot of good people caught on the wrong side of the line."

"I know," Emma muttered, "But the battle's done. It's over."

He stared ahead, "This must be done. They'll find us; they'll give away our location."

"We'll be long gone before they reach the palace. Besides, they just lost one of her greatest chess pieces; do you really think they're going to go back to her and face that wrath?"

"The control she has over some of these people?" he said, 'They'll think that she'll reward them for some reason."

"I don't kill people after the battle's done," Emma snapped, "If you're going to drop them off, then at least make sure they have a chance."

"You're insane."

"Maybe," Emma said, "But I'm not Regina. I won't be part of letting men die when they're chained up and defenseless."

Her legs were shaking as she walked back down below, she knew it was suicide most likely but the battle was over, they could be spared…not doing so just left a sour taste in her mouth.

"Emma," Red held up the hatbox, "We're ready when you are."

"There's no room down here, we'll have to go out in the open," Jefferson told her.

Emma felt a chill down her back, they'd be jumping in front of everyone…anything could happen and Emma was certain she might've angered the captain with her naiveté.

Baelfire saw her hesitation and stepped forward, "I'll stay."

"What?" Emma felt her heart race, "No! I need you there-."

He was so old, he'd seen everything, she needed him by her side for his council.

"This isn't my world," he told her, "This is Jefferson's expertise, not mine. Someone has to stay behind and make sure nothing happens; someone has to make sure we're not followed or sold out. Someone has to make sure that no one throws your father overboard for the danger he currently serves."

"But-."

"Emma," he took her hand, "Trust me…"

She saw in his eyes that she wasn't going to change his mind…and he was right, they needed someone here in case the pirates decided that they were more trouble than they were worth. She nodded, "Very well."

Baelfire smiled warmly at her, "Be cautious."

"I will," she gave his hand a squeeze, "You be cautious too."

He gave her a small bow, "As you wish, princess."

"You don't have to do that," Emma reprimanded, but at this point it was more friendly banter than it was her annoyance that she had a title she couldn't hold onto yet.

Red put her hand on Emma's shoulder, "We have to go."

Emma took a final look at Baelfire and turned with Red and Jefferson to leave. She didn't want to leave him here, not with this many potentially angry pirates. There were three of their own dead, and he'd just asked the captain to spare their killers. That wouldn't sit well with some of them if they heard what she said or found out she'd told it to the captain.

Maybe it was stupid to ask for the lives of men that would kill her if given the chance.

Maybe she was a foolish naïve girl who didn't deserve to be on the throne because she was too merciful….

But surely there was enough death, today.

They walked to the deck. Emma watched as Red opened the hatbox and held it up for Jefferson. He reached in with shaking hands and pulled out the worn black top hat. He stood in the middle of the ship. Emma looked up to see Killian watching them.

Jefferson twirled the hat and threw it on the ground. They watched as the hat grew…the vortex of wind and purple smoke swirled around them.

Jefferson stepped back and took both Emma's hand and Red's.

"Hold on," He screamed over the wind.

Emma saw that he was stepping out of his shell, and taking charge. Emma didn't have the heart to remind him that they'd done this before.

Jefferson took a small step, Emma and Red followed, together they jumped into the hat.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 

Baelfire did not lie to Emma when he told her he wanted to stay to make sure they were not betrayed and her father was not killed.

But he couldn't say he was exactly honest with her either. He'd had his own reasons for staying behind.

And his reason was waiting for him when he went back in the crew's quarters.

His father didn't wear the dragon skin jacket, he didn't wear the scaly vest like he did when he talked to others….he came to the ship wearing his best clothes. He wore a golden silk shirt and red vest. His boots were shined and they gleamed in the lantern light.

"Bae," he whispered heavily and reached for him.

Baelfire took a step backwards. Gods, it almost sounded like he loved him.

He couldn't though, not after everything he'd done.

Pain crossed Rumpelstiltskin's face, he lowered his arm. His face became the same mask Baelfire had seen several times, "I got the feeling that you wanted to see me."

"I need your help," Baelfire said tersely.

"You're finally calling upon me to save your little lost princess's kingdom?"

"No," Baelfire said. He wasn't sure he could ever pay that debt, his father would be sure to make it incredibly high. It took everything he had to speak to him now, "Emma's father is in the hold right now, without his heart thanks to Regina. What will the price be for you restoring it?"


	22. Chapter 22

**160 Years Ago. **

Another wife buried…

Their ten children buried….

Their grandchildren getting up in their years….Baelfire would bury them too.

He couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't…do _this_. He'd buried his first group of children and grandchildren, he buried this bunch…he wasn't sure he could handle much more. But then the loneliness would creep in and he wasn't sure he could handle that either.

Elizabeth had been a bit older than him biologically. She'd been in her thirties when he married her. She wasn't like Morraine; she was a hunter and a warrior. She fought in wars and was scarred up all over and not really pretty, but he loved her passionately. Ten children should be a testament of that. They had two sets of twins…and Baelfire could never keep their names straight. That was okay, half the time he accidentally called the other six the wrong names too.

But they were gone now. So were the children with his first wife and he could barely remember their faces anymore. He had drawings of them…so he could remember, but a picture on a parchment wasn't them. It couldn't show the light in their eyes the way he desperately tried to remember.

Gods, it was so long.

"Bae."

Baelfire looked up from the cemetery on his land. He'd buried too many…

He narrowed his eyes at his father, "What do you want?"

"You called me, son," Rumpelstiltskin said softly, "I always come."

"Yeah, for a price," he whispered and stared at the flask in his hands.

"I don't suppose you called me to make amends."

Baelfire shuddered. He wouldn't, he refused. He'd heard stories of what his father was doing out in the world. He was making deals, he was hurting people indirectly and directly. There was no cause for it other than he was most likely bored. He'd gotten his power and didn't know what to do with it.

That all could've been solved if they'd just went through the portal…none of this would've ever happened. Bae wouldn't be in so much pain now.

"No," Baelfire whispered, "I didn't call you here for that."

"What then?"

"I want you to end it," Baelfire looked at his father, "Take the immortality spell off me."

"I can't."

"You can, you just don't want to," he snapped.

"I can't and I won't," he said simply, "You are my son."

"I've had 13 sons," Baelfire told him, "I've had to bury them. Why shouldn't you?"

"Because you and I had a deal."

"So you'd let me suffer and despise the man you've become so you won't be alone."

"Your life doesn't have to be this struggle, son. You could come home."

"That castle will never be my home," Baelfire swore, "This is my home, this land I've worked for over a hundred years…where my wives and I raised our children…"

"Baelfire-."

"No, that place will never be my home," Baelfire repeated, "There's nothing there for me there except reminders that you chose your power over me and your own morality."

Rumpelstiltskin gave him a hurt look but Baelfire was way past feeling guilty for his anger. He was far too old and too tired to care.

"A life without end isn't a life, it's an existence," Baelfire muttered, "I want it to end, I want…peace and I want closure…I want to age again. I want to grow old with someone and I can't because I'll be forever trapped."

"We had a deal," Rumpelstiltskin reminded him.

"Had. _Had," _Baelfire sobbed, "That son I saved by making your deal is dead now! I don't talk to you, I don't have anything to do with you because of what you refuse to turn back from….why do you still keep me alive?"

"Because it's still better than nothing."

Baelfire felt like he was going to be sick. He wanted his father back…still after all these years, he wanted him to be the man he was and he knew that he never would be again. And that was another reason why Baelfire kept his distance….because it hurt so much to look at his father's face and see enough of his father for him to be reminded of what his papa used to be.

"Let me go," he pleaded with his father.

"I can't," Rumpelstiltskin told him again, it was a lot quieter this time, it was almost gentle, "Only true love's kiss can."

Baelfire shook his head, "Morraine and I-…Elizabeth-"

"Were the closest thing to true love I've ever seen," he told him, "But you were not, in fact, true loves."

"No. We were! We-."

"Your true love is coming, Baelfire," Rumpelstiltskin told him, "Maybe your immortality happened for a reason."

"Don't do that," Baelfire muttered and stood, "Don't justify what you've done."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

**Present Day**

Baelfire felt that same feeling he always felt when he faced his father…a feeling of dread that crept up his spine. That knowledge that ….no matter what, he was going to be disappointed and heartbroken.

"Ahhh," Rumpelstiltskin cooed with the closest thing to a teasing smile he had, "Hundreds have come to you for help…and you've always refused them. This one must be incredibly special if you're talking to me to help her."

Baelfire looked down and then back at his father, "I think she can end this war."

"Do you now?" Rumpelstiltskin said, "She's a bit young for you, but I could hardly be surprised when I saw she was blonde. You always did have a type"

"Everyone's a bit young for me," Baelfire said bitterly

"A lost princess though," Rumpelstiltskin noted with a raised eyebrow, "Moving up in the world, Baelfire."

"Anything I may or may not feel for Emma is irrelevant," He said, "Her father is in our hold with no heart and he's trying to kill her. What will be the price of you restoring him to his right mind?"

"You do realize that Emma asked for my assistance to win her war and I told her the price would be getting you to talk to me."

"Then restore her father's heart. Your part of the bargain in helping her in the war will be fulfilled and she doesn't have to worry about sliding further and further into your debt. We're all happy."

"I'd save her little kingdom," Rumpelstiltskin said, "I'd do it in a heartbeat for you."

"For what price?"

Rumpelstiltskin gave him a hurt look, "You come home and live out the rest of eternity there. We could work on our relationship."

Baelfire shook his head, "Not that again."

"Why not?"

"You _know _why not, you know what you did to me last time."

"Are you still bitter about that?"

"I'll _never _forgive you for that," he told him.

"Yes, Emma MUST be something special if you're calling on me to help. Don't worry; she's not distantly related to you somehow…your many family members have not married to her's. She's free to be pursued." Rumpelstiltskin sighed as if he was tired, "Very well, I'll restore his heart and Emma's deal with me will be complete since we've talked. Obviously not the way, I wanted this to end, son."

"I've given you chance after chance."

"While trusting me to fail."

"Forgiveness was given, trust must be earned," Baelfire said, "I've talked to you, you got your way…now it's time for you to follow through on your end of the deal."

Rumpelstiltskin held Baelfire's gaze and waved his hand. A box appeared in it, "Someone will die when Regina realizes this heart is missing. She knows where you are, she'll come for you."

Baelfire cringed, "Why do I sense another deal coming?"

"Getting you to talk to me could carry a far greater reward than just restoring a man's heart," Rumpelstiltskin said carefully, "I could cloak you…I could cloak Emma, I could cloak this ship for you if you asked me. I could even tell Emma where her mother was."

Baelfire looked up sharply, "What?"

"I found her, I know where she is, and I'll tell you if you come home after this war."

"No," Baelfire said, still, he was pushing this, "Don't you dare."

"Then I'll go to Emma," he said, "Her mother's location would be a deal she'd make. I'll bring her up to the castle. The only child of the king and queen of the world…now that would be an important asset to have."

"You touch her-."

"I'd never touch her, dearie, I'm not looking for love or a bedwarmer. She's just a child. But she is important…unless you'd be willing to come home instead of her. I could just end the war for you, but since you refused that deal…."

"We'd never get along."

"Your hate is better than your indifference," Rumpelstiltskin said.

Baelfire's head was spinning, "You'd shield us and this ship; give Emma her father's heart, her mother's location and all I have to do is come home?"

"Yes."

"That's not enough."

"Oh dearie, what else do you need?"

"Jefferson has a son. I'll need to know where he is as well. And I know you have your own personal army waiting in case Regina tries to take your castle. She hasn't yet but eventually she's going to get bored…you will give your men to Emma."

He raised his eyebrow, "Very well, they're hers and I'll do my best to locate the Hatter's son. Do we have a deal?"

Baelfire felt he was going to be ill. He didn't want to do this…but if he refused then he knew his father would turn to Emma…because he knew that where Emma went, Baelfire would follow to make sure she stayed safe.

"Everyone stays safe?"

"You have my word," Rumpelstiltskin said, "But it's forever, dearie."

Baelfire felt his head pounding; he'd thought this would go so well…

For Emma.

For her cause…

For the safety of this world….gods knew that the world couldn't handle it if his father found a way to take Emma in and corrupt her.

Baelfire could handle his father far better than Emma could.

He stared his father in the eyes, "Deal."

Rumpelstiltskin gave an excited giggle and Baelfire stepped back.

Rumpelstiltskin cleared his throat, "Snow is at the Black Forest in the North. It's a very formidable name but all the threats died out from there a long time ago…you'll find her mother there."

"And you'll find the Hatter's son?"

"I'll bring him to you the first minute I get my hands on him," Rumpelstiltskin smirked, "I'll have your room ready when you win this war and get home."

Bae felt another roll of nausea, "Very well."

"But be careful," Rumpelstiltskin's voice dropped dangerously, "The captain of this ship is not your friend."

"What do you mean?"

"Why should I tell you, son?" Rumpelstiltskin disappeared but before he was gone, he finished, "You wouldn't believe me anyway."


	23. Chapter 23

Emma did not understand what sort of world that she was in. There was no color! And she knew it was day, she looked up towards the sun and it blinded her, so what was going on?

She looked to her friends, they still had their color…Emma still had hers as well. So it was the world that had the problem.

Jefferson saw her and Red's confusion, "We have some sort of magic…all of us. That's why we all have an unbeatable rosy complexion."

Emma looked around. There were lanterns on the side of the street, but there was no wick. There was some sort of glass thing inside. Emma tiled her head and pointed, "What's that?"

"A light source," Jefferson pushed her forward, "Let's go."

It wasn't lit…because it was day here, but Emma still had a desire to see how it worked.

"Let's get this done with; I don't want to be here any longer than I possible have to."

"Why is that?" Emma asked.

"I didn't exactly make friends the last time I was here…Victor Frankenstein isn't going to be happy when he sees me again.'

"Is that who we're going to see?"

"Yeah," he said quickly, "And it's a bit of a walk."

"Well, it's been years," Emma looked at him, "Surely he won't remember."

Jefferson sighed, "He will. Emma….I wasn't always the saint you see standing before you."

"Yeah, we seem to be running into a lot of that," Red muttered.

"I used to work with Regina."

"We know that," Emma whispered but she was dreading what he was about to admit. There was something in his eyes.

"But before that, I worked for Rumpelstiltskin. He had me doing all sorts of cons and unspeakable things that I regret now. And for a while…this Victor Frankenstein was employed as well. We did some jobs together. Rumpelstiltskin wanted his knowledge…Victor Frankenstein believed once upon a time that he could create life through science…and he wanted to experiment first by experimenting on the dead."

"Gods," Emma felt her stomach roll.

"Yes, he used his abominable science when his brother was killed. We got him his heart in exchange for knowledge…but it didn't work. His brother was a monster…"

"Well, do you think he's still there?"

"With his dead brother in tow? I doubt he'll have gone anywhere."

"He could be dead."

"Could you kill your own brother?" Jefferson asked.

"Probably not," Emma whispered and tried not to think of her mother's multiple miscarriages while they all lived on the run, "But I also wouldn't force him back to life either."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000

Victor Frankenstein was drunk when the maid led them into the room. Emma could smell the alcohol from the entrance of the study and she cringed.

She had to get this done…and then she had to get him to find her enough weapons to sustain a pirate navy.

Emma was aware that this plan could sink the minute a pirate turned against her.

Emma really hoped they wanted that pardon.

Victor was reading a book as they walked up. Emma cleared her throat and looked at Victor, "Are you Doctor Frankenstein?"

"Well not 'Doctor," he sneered, "Not anymore."

He looked up and his sneer fell when he saw Jefferson, "You."

"Hiii," Jefferson started.

Victor cursed and lunged at Jefferson, Jefferson stumbled back as Victor hit him, "Did you know? Did you know what my brother would turn into?"

Emma grabbed Victor and tried to pull him off, "Get off him!"

Red rushed forward, grabbed Victor and used her strength to yank him off. Victor released Jefferson and slammed against the floor.

"Easy," Emma told Red and walked over to Victor, "Are you okay?"

"I-I think so…," he whispered.

Emma pulled him up, "Good. Please don't attack my guide again."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"You want me to supply you all with an arsenal?" Victor Frankenstein asked, "And give it to pirates? To save your world?"

"Yeah, when you say it like that….," Emma started, "You make good with what you have,. I suppose. Hard to assemble an army when spies are everywhere and people are scared."

"And how will arming pirates give them ease?"

"Well, we're not just arming pirates," Emma said, "But right now I'm just another lost princess who's just talking. They want action…they want to know that their support will pay off. They don't want to support me if I have nothing and this ammunition is the only way I can get it. If they think they have a better chance than sword wielding trained swordsmen? I can get an army."

"That's a lot of assumptions, what if the pirates turn against you?"

"I'm offering them ammunition and cannons. There's no way they'll trust Regina. Pirates consider themselves free men and if there's one thing Regina hates, its people who refuse to be under her control. Plus I'm letting them terrorize her soldiers so…I'm certain I'll have their alliance. At least for a while."

"But you're relying on me, my friends, and our influences…what happens if I don't help you?"

"Then I don't get my army and Regina will hunt us down," Emma said simply, but inside her heart was hammering as she saw that he was about to reject her.

"I don't see how this is my problem."

Emma bit the inside of her cheek, "Red, Jefferson….can you give us a minute?"

"You sure?" Red asked.

"Yeah, just a few minutes," Emma looked at both of them. Please."

"As you wish," Red started and pulled Jefferson away into the other room.

Victor watched Emma with a raised eyebrow, "What are you trying to do?"

Emma folded her hands together, "My whole life, I have lived on the run from Regina. I've watched my father age older than he actually was and I watched my mother suffer multiple miscarriages. A part of her died every time she lost a baby that she probably wouldn't have lost if her life was less stressed."

"Your sympathy story-."

"A year ago," Emma interrupted, "We were surrounded. There was no certain way for us to escape, Regina had us surrounded. But there might've been a chance for us to fight it out…We might've been able to kill them all but my parents didn't see it that way. They pulled me on a horse and sent me away. I could've turned the horse away from its destination and gone back, but I didn't. I continued to ride because that was what they'd raised me to do. NO matter what, if something happened to them, I was supposed to find my godmother. That was what I did. Now my mother is missing…she could be dead for all I know and my father-."

Emma stopped and drew in a shaky breath. She couldn't cry. Not in front of him.

"And that's my fault," her voice broke, "If I'd gone back instead of continuing to ride then maybe they'd still be alive. But I got scared…and because of that and because of me…my family was ripped apart. I have the chance to make this right though. I have a chance to atone for my mistake…for the brief fleeting moment of cowardice that may have cost my mother her life and cost my father his freedom…and I can't make that right…and I can't heal the emotions that'll come with that, but I can make up for it….if I have the chance."

She saw she was striking something in him and he was thinking about his own family and what he'd done. Emma didn't mean for this to be manipulation, not even Red knew the amount of guilt that Emma had to live with every day but she needed him to understand why she was doing what she was doing.

He leaned forward, "My family has a small arsenal that they've collected over the years. My father and brother were in the service."

He stopped and took a second to collect himself, "Cannons will take a few days…as well any other big weaponry. I'll need time to get those."

"Won't people ask questions?"

"No, they'll just take my money. See, they believe I went mad a long time ago, and I suspect you know the reason why."

"I do," she said quietly.

"I will find a way to save my brother."

"I hope you do," Emma whispered, "Just like I'll find a way to get my kingdom back."


	24. Chapter 24

When Emma got back, she couldn't help but smile excitedly. Things were finally turning in their favor at last. Maybe this insane plan would work after all…or at least a lot of it.

Then she remembered that her father was down there in the hold with a broken leg….and then the small victory didn't feel as good. He'd be screaming when they went to bed. He probably wouldn't shut up and Emma didn't know how she was supposed to deal with that.

"Welcome back," Killian said as Emma found the rocking boat made her stumble for a second. Killian reached out and grabbed her to steady her.

"Thank you," Emma reached out and helped Red, "Any trouble?"

"Well, I considered what you said and left the prisoners adrift in a boat in the ocean."

Emma smiled, "You spared lives?"

"My crew is furious with me."

"Well, they'll have a chance to take it out on Regina's navy soon enough."

Killian smiled, "So it was successful then?"

"We'll see," Emma took a cup and filled it with water, "Anything else?"

Something dark passed in Killian's eyes, "I'll let Baelfire tell you."

Emma tensed and she looked up, "What?"

"He's in the crew's cabin…that's all I was to say."

Emma passed a look back to Red and Jefferson and she hurried below.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000

She found Baelfire sitting in the crews quarters. He didn't look up when Emma came into the room. Emma wasn't sure that he heard her; he was too busy being focused on the box in his hands.

"Good news, it worked," Emma closed the door behind her.

He smiled but didn't take his eyes off what was in his hands, "That's good Emma, I'm happy that you're making progress."

Something was wrong.

Emma moved towards him, "What you have there?"

Baelfire tensed. She saw his jaw clench, "It's a heart."

Emma stopped, "What?"

"It's your father's."

Emma felt the air being driven from her lungs and she started shaking as she let that sink in. In order for him to have that, he would have to get it from Regina…and who else COULD get it from Regina but the man he refused to talk to?

At least until recently?

If he did this….then there had to be a price. His father wouldn't let this opportunity pass without getting something heavy out of it.

He did this for her cause?

Emma walked over and sat next to him. She stared at the wall in front of her, "What did you promise him?"

Baelfire was quiet, "After this war, you won't see me again."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I'll be trapped in the Dark Castle till the end of time."

A tear slipped down Emma's face and she wiped it away in frustration, "Why would you do that?"

"For you."

"My cause isn't worth giving up your freedom!" she told him.

"You're not listening, I didn't do it for your cause," he told her, "I did it for you."

"Why?" she demanded. She refused to let what he told her sink in.

"Because you're important," he told her, "And you getting your father back is important. And you're special. I don't know how to explain it but you just are. I think we can do it….and I think you can do it. But we couldn't without help. And when going against a woman wielding dark magic, it helps to have someone on your side that plays by their same rules. I milked it for what it's worth. You're cloaked, the ship is cloaked, we have his army, and he's looking for Jefferson's son. Maybe he'll even know where your mother is too if she's still alive'

Emma looked up at him, "I'll never forget this."

"You will," he told her, "There will be men in your army who make bigger sacrifices than mine. And then you'll retire to a castle full of suitors asking for your hand."

Emma looked at the box and realized how heavy his sacrifice was, "I don't want them."

"Gods, woman! What do you want?"

Emma summoned up her courage and managed a swallow. She was a princess fighting for her life every day. This shouldn't scare her.

She pressed her lips against his.

He tensed and sat back with a stunned look on his face, "Emma!"

She cleared her throat and felt stupid for taking that step, "A princess always kisses her victor…and she always honors those that make the ultimate sacrifice."

His eyes filled with tears. He didn't want this. He didn't want to do what he'd agreed to do. She saw it in his eyes and he did it…so she could be safe and restore peace to the world.

His sacrifice was the greatest one he could possibly give.

"Sorry," she whispered.

He took her face and kissed her back. It was brief and she returned it for the time it took. They both pulled away and she realized how…wrong this would be. He was over three hundred and she was only almost 18. Most wouldn't see it the way she did. Not even Emma was sure of the way she saw it.

Baelfire seemed to realize it too. She saw the dread in his eyes and they settled back down quietly.

What now?

The door opened and Killian came in with some of his crew, "We're ready to hold your father down when you are."

They both looked at him in brief confusion as he rocked back and forth on his heels and smiled, "So, what did you two talk about?"


	25. Chapter 25

Emma watched and cringed as her father was dragged out of the hold by Killian's crew and thrown roughly on the floor.

"Easy," Emma scolded, "Don't hurt him, his knee is broken"

"He killed some of our brothers."

"That wasn't a suggestion," Red snapped and the one that just sassed Emma visibly tensed.

The crew pulled him up to a kneeling position and grabbed his hair to keep his head still. Charming gave out a cry of pain. His eyes watered, Emma had a feeling that it was more because of his broken leg.

Baelfire was quiet, he handed her the box.

"How did you get that?" Killian demanded.

"I made a deal," Baelfire muttered.

"A deal?" Killian angrily demanded, "Here? You summoned that _thing _here? Don't you know what he's done?"

"I did what I had to do," Baelfire said simply.

Emma blushed and she opened the box. Her father's heart beat in the box. It was disturbing and disgusting and Emma wondered how anyone could ever do something this twisted and cruel to another human being.

A tear fell down her face; what had her father suffered by Regina's hand.

"Emma," her father whispered and looked at her, "Please…please don't do this. If you do, I'll die."

"No you won't," Emma whispered. The heart beat in her hand. She shuddered and felt her bile rising, "How does this work?"

"I don't know, just….try shoving it in his chest," Killian said.

"Shove it?" Emma demanded.

"Well, not in a way that it pops or something."

"Just stop talking," Emma snapped, "I'm sorry I asked it out loud."

"Emma," her papa pleaded, "No, no, no, no, no…."

Emma placed the heart close to her father's chest. There was a suction sound…Emma nearly lost her lunch as her hand sunk through her father's chest and she felt…that it set. Like the heart found its place.

Emma ripped her hand away. It was clean. There was no blood.

"Emma?" Red whispered.

Emma ignored it, "Papa?"

His eyes were closed…Emma was terrified that maybe she'd killed him. Maybe Rumpelstiltskin gave them the wrong heart and would only give them the right one once Baelfire followed through on his deal.

Then her father gasped, and drew in large lungful's of air. He looked around at what could be familiar faces or not. Emma wasn't sure what he remembered. Then he looked at her, his eyes filled with tears, "Emma?"

Emma started sobbing, "Papa!"

He wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace, "You did it."

"I missed you so much," she whispered.

"I'm so sorry…I didn't know what I was doing. I wasn't myself."

"I know."

Killian turned to his crew, "Let's give them a few moments alone, shall we?"

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Baelfire had made a lot of sacrifices in his life…usually for his wife or children but there was a time when he would never consider giving up his freedom to go live with his father after the storm he faced passed.

Well, that was a lie. He would do it if the situation was dire enough. He just liked to think that his pride and his father's multiple transgressions against him and against humanity would prevent it.

He knew it wouldn't have.

"Well, well, well…happy with your end of the bargain?"

Baelfire cringed at his father's voice, "No. But I don't suppose I ever would be."

"Cheer up, Baelfire," Rumpelstiltskin walked up beside him, "You have a good chance of winning this war now. Your lost little princess will have you to thank for it."

Baelfire turned his head away.

"Or perhaps she already wants to," Rumpelstiltskin said.

Baelfire glared at his father, "Anything that could happen between us can't happen now. It won't come to pass, not with the deal I made with you."

"Well, if I must, I suppose I can set three chairs at the dinner table as opposed to two, but-."

"Why? So you can hurt her the way you hurt me over the years? I'm not subjecting her to that."

"Baelfire, you have to give me a chance."

"Yes, just another chance, isn't that what you always say?"

"You once loved me."

"You were once a good man," Baelfire muttered, "The deal we made was for me to come live with you, it wasn't for my love. You don't get that and you certainly won't get Emma."

His father looked hurt as he said that but Baelfire didn't care. Not after what his father had done him and then to his third wife. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. The line had been crossed.

"Why are you here?" Baelfire asked.

"I'm here to fulfill my end of the bargain," he handed him a sheet of paper.

"What's this?"

"The location of Jefferson's boy. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to introduce himself. But be warned…he's one of Regina's…Special Forces."

"What's that mean?"

"It means that if he sees your little Swan or his own father, he's obligated and trained to snap their necks and take you as a hostage to get anything Regina wants from me. Jefferson wants to see his son, he better prepare himself for a lot of disappointment."

Baelfire felt his heart sink and he looked out over the waves, "What's the second set of coordinates?"

"The girl's mother is hiding there."

Baelfire looked at his father, "What?"

"Think of it as a bonus," Rumpelstiltskin told him, "You could give that little fancy of yours down below both her parents back."

Baelfire stared him down, "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."

"You don't."

"Emma is the heir of the world if we win…I can just imagine how you would exploit that if she comes with me….so she's not coming with me."

"Oh Bae," Rumpelstiltskin laughed, "She will if she wants to."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000

Emma couldn't stop looking at her father as she talked as fast as she could. She told him everything she'd been through in the year that they'd been separated. The more she thought she was finished, the more things just….poured out.

"I'm sorry about your leg," Emma finally finished after what was probably about two hours of talking to her patient father, "But you know…you wouldn't stop trying to kill me if I hadn't."

"I understand," he looked down at the splint. He couldn't walk right. Emma wondered if he'd ever be able to walk right again. They'd thrown him around a lot, it probably did more damage.

"Emma?"

"Wait," Emma grabbed his hand, "Papa, there's still so much I want to tell you."

He smiled at her, "I know…but Emma, this isn't the life I ever wanted you to have."

"I know," Emma said, "I know that you always wanted better for me."

"But it's too late, isn't it?" he asked, "Too late to just find your mother and send you away from all this to find a man who could love you and have a family with. Too late to make sure you're safe."

"I believe it is," Emma said.

"I just want you safe."

"We'll never be safe until Regina's dethroned."

"I know…Emma, I'm so sorry that our problems have now become your problems."

"That's not your fault," she whispered.

"If we'd helped lead the rebellion against her, then maybe…"

"Then maybe mom would've gone through so much stress that she would've lost me the way she lost all the other babies after me," Emma said, "I know why you dropped out of the rebellion. No one blames you for putting your unborn baby above a throne."

The door crashed open, Baelfire ran through, "Emma!"

Emma blushed when she saw him. She didn't tell her father about the kiss yet; she and Baelfire had to work that out first.

"Emma," Baelfire stopped and paled when he saw Charming, "Sir."

"What is it?" Emma asked him.

"I know where your mother is."


	26. Chapter 26

Emma was too excited to sleep. The ship rocked and it reminded her of a cradle but Emma…Emma couldn't close her eyes, no matter how late it was.

They were going to get her mother.

Emma tossed and turned before she finally gave up and hopped down from the bed.

"Emma?"

Emma wasn't surprised that Baelfire was awake, he rarely slept. That's why he was such a good companion for when she couldn't sleep either.

So not to disturb anyone, Emma crawled next to him in the bunk and pulled the covers over herself, "We're on our way to find my mother."

"Yeah," Baelfire could hear the happiness in his voice for her, "Yeah, I heard. I was there."

"And it's all thanks to you!" she turned and stared at him through the dimly lit room, "Thank you, Baelfire…so much. What I owe you could never be repaid…but I'll spend my life trying to repay it."

He smiled, "You're not going to kiss me again, are you?"

Emma watched him, "I seem to remember that you grabbed me and kissed me back."

He was quiet, "It was a mistake."

"Was it?"

A few seconds passed, "I don't know."

"Me neither."

"Do you love me?" he asked.

Emma shrugged, ever since it happened she'd had a lot of confused feelings, "I don't know. I care…about you a lot. I don't know if it's love or if it will be."

"Emma, don't. Those feelings you have…those feelings I have could never come to fruition. I made a deal with my father and he requires me back at the Dark Castle when this is done. You're the heir of the kingdom, Emma. Unless your parents survive and they have another kid, this entire world is going to be yours. Would you really risk putting that sort of power in his hands by falling in love and following me?"

"Maybe we could find a way out of it."

"If we do then he'll take your father's heart, your mother, his army and lift the cloaking spell that hides us from Regina. He might even take you to make sure I come to the Dark Castle and then he'd keep you there to make sure I stayed."

Emma felt her heart sink, "Well, you can't go by yourself, Bae. You'll go mad!"

"And what makes you think that I'd put you in the same position?" he stuttered, "I…c-care about you as well, Emma. I like you. But I cannot ask you to make the same sacrifice that I have. You don't deserve that, you deserve to be in a castle ruling the world that you helped conquer and ensuring peace."

"Maybe I don't want to rule."

"Don't say that. You took a kingdom, you deserve to rule it. You deserve to be with your family and you deserve better than what I could offer…a life trapped in castle walls."

"I'll help remove a dangerous woman from the throne. I don't…I don't even know IF I want to rule"

"Well, then who will?"

"My parents are…still young…" she trailed off, "Oh gods, no they aren't. Anyway, I don't want you to go by yourself. You're making a great sacrifice; I'm not going to abandon you."

"You're not abandoning me; you're doing what's smart. You don't need to be near my father, Emma. It will do nothing but hurt you."

Emma felt her heart break, "And what will it do for you?"

"Don't worry about me."

"You're doing this for me," she told him and felt her tears start to fall, "So I think it IS my place to worry about you and take care of you."

"Emma."

"No, we'll find a way," she whispered, "I promise."

"Is it worth that risk?"

"There has to be a way…and I'll find it."

She turned over and tried to go to sleep.

"There is no way," he finally whispered, "It'd be best if you just let me go."

"Not after everything you've done for me!" she whispered.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Red kept the cloak wrapped around herself as she walked the deck. It was a full moon, she didn't want to take this cloak off her for a minute.

So Emma was going to find her parents soon. She'd find Snow and Charming and Red probably wouldn't be needed anymore.

What did she have waiting for her when all this was done? There was no one. Her grandmother had died years ago and her husband was…

Curse Regina.

"Emma stay on her best behavior?"

Red looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly at Charming, "Can't sleep either?"

"I finally have my freedom and I don't want to miss a moment of it," he hugged Red, "I'm sorry about the Huntsman."

"Did you see him at all?"

"We were kept separated," he looked sorry for her, "She didn't want her best assets plotting and escaping."

Red looked at the crutch, "Are you sure you should be out here?"

"I can't lay in that bunk another minute, everyone's tossing and turning," he leaned on the bannister, "How trustworthy are these people?"

"Besides me, Jefferson, Emma, and Baelfire?" Red shrugged, "The Pirate Captain might be…but that's just if you don't cross him."

"And this…Jefferson and Baelfire. A Mad Hatter that used to serve Regina and the Dark One's son? They're our more trusted allies?"

"Both are loyal to Emma, she saved Jefferson's life and she and Baelfire have fought together."

Charming's eyes darkened, "Should I be worried?"

"As a father, perhaps," she told him honestly, "She and Baelfire are…very fond of each other."

"She's only seventeen!"

"About to be eighteen, most of the girls her age are married."

"That's fine for THEM!"

Red smiled at the protective father tone in his voice, "Emma's not the same sixteen year old girl that you left on the horse and sent to me, David. She's….learning to be a leader."

"That's not what I wanted for her."

"It's not the life any of us wanted for her," she told him, "But it's the life we have."

Charming looked over at the water, "Do we have a chance of winning, do you think?"

"Well, six months ago maybe there wasn't much hope…but I think things are changing."

"And then what happens?" Charming asked, "When this is done and we're expected to clean all this up? I'm a shepherd, I know little of ruling. I can't be a king!"

Red rested her hand on his back, "Let's just take it one day at a time, Charming."


	27. Chapter 27

Snow was sixteen when Regina killed her father. It wasn't some secret mission; it wasn't some giant con that Regina grew used to conducting later on in their little personal war.

It was a simple mark…her father had brought a genie into the castle, one that was freed and never had to obey the beck and call of man again.

Regina seduced him, promised him herself if he did what she wanted. And then one day as she, Regina, and her father ate dinner, Snow had to watch as her father choked on the poison that'd been magically slipped to him. She held him in her arms as he died a very undignified horrifying death.

Regina sat at the table and calmly kept eating.

And Snow knew that she'd done something. Snow hadn't been given the time to mourn, she had to go into hiding once Regina sent a Huntsman to kill her and that was how she met Red, and then the dwarves, and then Charming.

But the Dwarves were dead now…Red was gods knew where, Charming was…with Regina.

Emma…gods willing that Emma was safe and had found Red.

Snow had tried to look, she had tried to find her baby but every time she followed a lead, it was just Regina, trying to lure her out. And the more she tried to escape, the less chances she had at coming out of it in one piece.

She walked with a limp now. She was blind in one eye as well, but it heightened her other senses. It came in handy when she was living in the forest

She heard the twig snap to her right the night she was curled up at her camp asleep; Snow was up before she was even fully awake and had an arrow drawn, "Come out!"

"Mother?"

Snow felt her heart skip a beat at the sound of her daughter's voice. No, this was just another dream. Another nightmare. She'd dream she had her family back and then it was ripped away from her before she reached her daughter and husband.

It was a dream that happened almost every night, Snow had no control as she fell for it over and over again.

Just like she was doing now, "Emma?"

Emma walked out of the forest with a torch in her hand. It wasn't like the dreams. In the dreams she just seemed to know her way through and had no light.

It was reality, it had to be.

Snow carefully stepped forward, took her daughter's face gently and memorized everything she could about it. Emma stood still; her eyes were filled with tears.

"Emma?" Snow asked again.

Emma sniffled and nodded, "It's me."

Tears sprang in Snow's eyes, she wrapped her arms around her daughter, "You found me."

Emma held her tightly and sobbed as well, "Yeah mama, we did."

Snow pulled back, "We?"

Charming was standing a bit to the right. Snow felt her blood run cold as she looked into his eyes.

Without a word, she yanked her daughter behind her and drew her weapon again.

"Mother!" Emma cried out.

"He's not your father."

"He is-."

"Regina took him!" Snow cried, "Regina took him the night we were all separated. She took him and made him her prisoner."

"Not anymore, we got his heart back!"

. That was impossible, not even Graham had that sort of access. Snow looked over at her daughter, "How?"

Emma fidgeted, much like she did when she was a child and she didn't want Snow to know something, "That's a story for another day."

Charming limped forward; he was leaning on a crutch that was crudely made. He gave Snow a smile; there was warmth in his eyes, "Snow."

She was still so hesitant; it could just be a trick somehow for all she knew. Regina could've shape shifted people to look like her family to come in here and kill her.

But she would be dead by now if that happened though. Regina was tired of the games of luring her into a false sense of security before striking.

Charming stepped forward as her bow started to lower, "I will always find you, Snow. Isn't that what I promised?"

Snow didn't know how…but there was something inside her that believed him. That this was him…maybe it was his smile, maybe it was the look in his eyes...but this was her husband.

She let the bow drop, "Charming."

He rushed to her. Snow dropped the bow and met him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his face and lips as fast as she could. Charming barely kept up.

Without a word, Snow reached out for her daughter and Emma raced over and hugged her family.

They were back, they were all finally together.

And Snow started sobbing.

0000000000000000000000000000000000

Emma's hand was sore. Snow had held a crushing grip on it as Snow hugged Red, kissed Charming a few more times and met Jefferson, who had accompanied them. He was a gentleman, he took off his hat and gave a sweeping bow and called Snow "Your majesty."

Baelfire stood in the background. Emma looked for him and saw the sadness in his eyes as he watched the happy family reunion. He knew that he would never have the happy moment that Emma just had. He didn't even WANT the inevitable reuniting that would come when he had to make good on his father's deal.

Emma didn't even hesitate. She reached out her hand for Baelfire. He looked cautious and gave her a curious look. She gave him a smile and nodded. Baelfire walked in and took her hand. Emma squeezed his grip, "Papa, mother, this is Baelfire…he saved all of us. He saved our lives and he's the reason we're all together right now."

Charming smiled and listened, he already knew the story. But Snow was giving her a look….like she knew there was something more going on than what Emma was saying.

Emma squeezed his hand and smiled at him, "Bae is a hero."


	28. Chapter 28

Jefferson's snoring filled the crew's quarters and Emma couldn't sleep. She's done what she always did already, she sneaked into Baelfire's cot for the extra company, but she still couldn't sleep. Her parents hadn't caught her in here with him yet but it was only a matter of time and Emma just couldn't WAIT for that discussion.

Baelfire gave up his freedom for her. Not her cause, he did it for her. Because there were feelings there that neither one of them could explain or act on because of that freedom that he gave up. He would never be happy if she went with him.

Did she even want to go with him? She just got her parents back.

But she couldn't let him go alone. There was…some sort of affection there between she and Baelfire and Emma couldn't explain it. But she couldn't get him or his situation out of her head. It'd been that way since she and he watched them burning Baelfire's land when they escaped the queen's forces for the first time.

She owed it to him to at least try.

Emma slipped out of the cot and pulled on a warmer shirt over the cotton one that she wore to bed. The night wind was cold tonight. Her mother had stationed herself close to the mountains; there were a lot more places to hide there. The wind was coming off them tonight and Emma felt the goose bumps on her arm pop up as soon as she climbed on top of the deck.

"Who's there?" One of the crew yelled.

"Emma," Emma walked to the plank they set down. They'd docked at a town…if it could be called that before they went looking for Snow. Most of the men were gone at the inn and the taverns…and probably to the homes of those that would entertain them.

Emma wrapped her coat tighter around herself and walked down the street until she hit the forest. She didn't go far. It was dark and she did want to get back.

Emma held up the lantern she brought with her, "Rumpelstiltskin? Rumpelstiltskin!"

"Cant a man get some sleep in peace?!"

Emma turned at the sound of the voice. Rumpelstiltskin leaned against the tree, dressed in his normal 'dealing attire'.

Emma raised an eyebrow, "You're a man?"

"More beast these days if you listen to what my son says."

Emma swallowed and looked down nervously, "I summoned you for a reason."

Rumpelstiltskin watched her face carefully, "So I guess he told you about the agreement."

"Whatever he promised you, I'll pay it."

"How decent," He sneered, "A beauty agreeing to live with a beast to protect someone."

He stepped forward and took Emma's face in his hands. She knew he expected a disgusted reaction but she stood very still.

"Do you realize what would happen if I took you up on your deal, dearie?" he tilted her head like he was continuing to examine her, "Took you away to the castle to do nothing more than to be another trophy that I display for my own amusement? Do you know what would happen? Your family would come for you…and there's probably be another war and I'd have to keep you because that was the deal…and what would that mean for your parents and their lives?"

Emma felt her stomach clench, "You leave my parents-."

"Oh but you don't have to worry about that, dearie. We both know what would truly happen. Baelfire would sacrifice for you, and you'd sacrifice for him, and he'd sacrifice for you, and round and round and I'd just get a headache. Sorry dearie, you don't have anything that I want. I want my son and now that I have him, there's nothing more I could want with you….well unless you want to give me grandchildren-."

Emma pulled away, "I certainly can't now. He'd never let me near him once this is over. You know that he'd never want his children being raised up there."

Pain crossed Rumpelstiltskin's face as he realized she was most likely right, "He won't be happy whether he's there by himself or you're there with him dearie."

It was a sad admission, Emma almost felt sorry for the imp standing in front of her.

"Now here's a question for ya, dearie," he leaned forward, "Are you really willing to help him because you care? Or are you trying to pay off the debt that you feel you owe to him?"

Emma tensed.

Rumpelstiltskin drummed his fingers together, "Better get those thoughts in order dearie. I won't turn you away should you want to come visit my son but I can't say the same for him."

The imp was gone after that. He disappeared as soon as Emma blinked.

On the way back, Emma went over the thoughts in her head. She cared about Baelfire, she honestly did. But how much of her actions were because of admitted growing affections and how much were her feeling indebted.

No, she wasn't going to let that doubt mess with her mind. Rumpelstiltskin was just trying to drive them apart. If Emma visited Baelfire at the castle, then he had her to lean on. As long as she was alive and Bae had her as his friend or…whatever they were, then he wasn't completely under his father's control. Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't like that. He'd try to drive them apart.

When Emma got back into the room, she started to pull herself up in her own bunk.

Baelfire turned around, "Emma?"

"Sorry, go to sleep," she whispered.

"What are you doing getting up there for?"

Emma shrugged and fell into the bed next to him, "I dunno."

About anything she was feeling.

Emma bit the inside of her cheek, "Baelfire?"

"Emma," he buried his face in the pillow, "Can't we talk about it in the morning?"

"Okay," she looked at him, "I was just going to say that we should try for a relationship while we still have time."

Baelfire sat up with a start, "What?"

"But like you said," Emma turned on her side and tried to go to sleep, "It can wait for the morning."


	29. Chapter 29

They were supposed to check in on the weapons today. Emma stared at the hat sitting on her cot as she tied the laces to her vest.

Baelfire was already up and gone when she woke up. Her parents as well. Emma had a bad feeling that they were off talking about her.

She shouldn't have told Baelfire what she did…that she wanted a relationship with him before he had to go because she knew what he would do. He would panic and try to do the noble thing that was best for her and not himself

He was probably talking to her parents right now to get that thought out of her head.

Because what happened if they did share a connection and a relationship only to lose each other when he had to fulfill his end of the deal?

What happened if he didn't and they both lived the rest of their lives wondering 'what if?'

There was a knock on the crew quarter door, "Emma?"

It was her mother.

Emma pulled her hair into a tangled messy bun. She'd brush it later, after this she had work on deck to do, "Come in."

The door opened, her mother slipped in, followed by her father and a very embarrassed looking Baelfire.

Emma knew it! She knew he'd do this!

But she felt a little frustrated anyway, "Is this some sort of relationship intervention?"

Charming looked at Bae, "He told us what you said to him."

Emma felt a small rise in her temper, "And you couldn't just come to me?"

"I've tried, you won't listen," Baelfire said with a completely calm voice, "You won't understand why any relationship with me at any time right now is a bad idea."

"Your deal comes up when the war is over!" Emma told him, "Why not…just…I don't know…enjoy what we have now? At least so you could have something to remember me by."

Charming straightened up, his ears grew red, "What do you mean 'enjoy what we have now?'"

Emma felt herself blush bright red, "Not that, papa!"

Baelfire balked, "I would never!"

Charming's eyes narrowed, "You two share the same bed. The only reason I haven't said anything yet is because you two are in a room full of people and I've been reassured by your heightened sensed godmother that nothing has happened.

Baelfire looked horrified, "Oh gods…"

Emma cringed and closed her eyes.

Baelfire cleared his throat, "Sir I would never do that to your daughter. I would never put her in that situation and I most certainly wouldn't risk a child and then leaving her like that. I'm not my m-."

Baelfire stopped and Charming looked genuinely regretful, "I'm sorry Baelfire, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," Baelfire told him, "I've had daughters; I know how a father reacts. Trust me, sir. If I was in your position I would be fighting harder against it."

"We don't have anything against Baelfire," Snow finally told Emma, "We're grateful for everything he's done and if circumstances were different…"

"But it's not," Emma whispered.

Baelfire lowered his eyes, "I don't want you being pulled into my world. My father WILL hurt you. Whether he means to or not, you will be collateral damage in our relationship. I just don't want to see you get hurt. You would, Emma, he would find a way to do so even if we stopped the relationship before I went to the castle."

"Emma, we all just reunited," Snow whispered, "Can't we all just take a moment to breathe?"

"Oh, you mean before we jump in the hat and get weapons for our war?" Emma muttered.

"Emma."

Emma looked up and met all their eyes, "Most girls my age are married. I've lived my entire life in fear of what could happen if Regina found us. We've moved from…village to village and I've always been told what was dangerous and what wasn't and I have never gotten to take a risk because our risks mean death. But now that I'm waging a war against an evil sorceress for a year now, I think I can decide who I want to have a relationship with freely."

Her parents looked uncomfortable.

"I know why you're all worried. I understand why you all don't want me interested in Baelfire because of the deal but…I just want to be in a relationship with someone that I care about and trust…and that is you."

Baelfire averted his gaze.

Charming looked at his wife, "We'll give you a couple of minutes."

They waited for her parents to leave. Emma crossed the room to her hat, "Going to my parents?"

"You won't listen to me."

"I refuse to be swayed because of how your father is."

"No, you need to be swayed because of what he'll do to you," Baelfire told her.

"I understand."

"And it'll hurt more if I let myself be vulnerable around you just to lose you, Emma. I can't deal with another loss. I've lost three wives all my children, grandchildren and onwards. I've had years of such pain that I would beg my father to lift the immortality potion that he got me to drink when I was twenty three. I'm facing an eternity of being with him; I don't want it to start with me being angry when I'm ripped away from you."

"So, the knowledge that there will be pain is keeping you from taking the leap," Emma felt her heart breaking at the pain in his eyes.

"I would love…nothing more than to try," he told her, "But I care about you too much to let you in the same room as my father. Emma, my father…ruined my third marriage. My wife…."

"It's okay," Emma told him when he trailed off, "You don't have to tell me."

"Everything he touches turns to dust," Baelfire whispered with tears in his eyes, "I know you well enough to know that if I allowed a hint of a relationship to happen…no matter how much I want it too…if I allow it, you'll follow me to the Dark Castle in a heartbeat. I can't do that to you, I can't do that to your parents. You have the chance for a good life, Emma. You have the chance to have a family that loves you and you can have…someone far healthier for you than I am."

Emma was quiet, a tear slipped down her face.

Baelfire brushed the tear away, "Please don't hate me."

"I don't hate you," she whispered, "I just wish things were different."

"So do I."

"But if things were different," Emma wiped at her wet face, "Would you?"

"In a heartbeat."

Emma nodded and moved to embrace him. Baelfire held her closely to his chest and buried his face in her hair.

"Your family is better than me."

"You may believe that," Emma pulled away and grabbed the hat, "I don't."

She spun the hat and threw it on the ground.

"We have work to do."


End file.
